


RWBY: Team SWRZ

by Law_Vinson



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Blood and Gore, Death, Explicit Language, Gen, Original Character(s), Team SWRZ, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-01-27 03:10:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 56,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21385102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Law_Vinson/pseuds/Law_Vinson
Summary: Huntsman Academies—prestigious institutions in the world of Remnant dedicated to training the next generation of humanity’s protectors—Huntsmen and Huntresses. Together, they fight to protect the people from the ravenous creatures of Grimm and evil organizations. Unfortunately, not everyone attends these schools with such righteous ambitions in mind. The members of Team SWRZ (Pronounced Schwartz) are far from becoming the defenders of Remnant.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	1. Schwartz der Hund!

_"I would rather have a dog as a friend than an enemy."_

* * *

In the large, open grass field of Anima, a small caravan of merchants traversed through the wet plains with great reluctance. Dark, grey clouds loomed over them in the sky, a forewarning of the rain that was soon to fall upon them with tremendous claps of thunder. With each sound, the horses pulling their carriages panicked, nearly escaping from their reins. The drivers quickly settled their horses down and ventured onward down the road.

Wisps of fog crept up on the edge of the forest that laid ahead. The drivers and merchants grimaced at the sight of it. Every fiber of their being told them not to go into the woods. The dangers of being attacked by the Grimm frightened them beyond belief.

The only thing that kept them going was the fact that their employer hired a team of Huntsmen to protect the caravan. The group consisted of three men and one woman. All four of them graduated from established Huntsmen Academies.

They traveled on horseback, moving alongside the caravan. Once the Huntsmen spotted the forest up ahead, they moved out in front. They were the first ones to enter the forest, scouting the area for any sign of danger. They cautiously surveyed the place area with their weapons at the ready.

"Anything, Pewter?" Asked the woman of the team, Max Wisteria. She looked to the leader of the group for assurance. Sure, she hadn't spotted anything suspicious. But, letting one's guard down was the worst thing a Huntsmen could do.

"No, nothing. I think we're in the clear, Wisteria." Pewter answered. He turned his horse around, then called out to his remaining partners, "Taupe, Russet, anything?"

"Nothing over here," Taupe responded, returning to the group.

"We're good. Nothing suspicious spotted." Russet added.

"Alright, let's head back to the caravan and get this done. We're almost at Mistral. We complete this mission, and we get paid." Pewter informed his team.

"Good. I'm tired of being out in the wilderness. I need a hot bath." Wisteria complained.

"We know. We can smell you from here." Taupe pinched his nose closed and moved his horse further away from her. Pewter and Russet joined the man in laughter, only stopping when Wisteria aimed her rifle at them.

"Alright, that's enough. The sooner we deliver this caravan to Mistral, the better." Pewter and his team returned to the caravan. With their guidance, they managed to maneuver into the forest without much difficulty.

The further they moved into the forest, the thicker the fog got.

"Damn it. I can't see anything." Wisteria complained.

"It's gotta be the damn swamps," Russet assumed. "Maybe we should pull back and wait for it to clear."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's..." Pewter suddenly halted his horse once an ominous ringing reached his ears. Everyone followed suit and stopped their horses once their team leader raised his hand. "Did anyone hear that?"

"Hear what?" Asked Taupe.

"It was...bells?" Pewter looked upward at the treetops. He noticed them. Shadows jumped overhead across the trees. With each movement from the shadows, came the harmonic, yet foreboding sound of bells.

"What's going on, Pewter? Why did we stop?" Wisteria asked.

"Something's wrong. Get your weapons." Pewter ordered. Without hesitation, the others obeyed his commands. Even the merchants grabbed their weapons.

The group waited in silence, looking around for the potential danger that surrounded them. They huddled together around the caravan, preparing themselves for anything. Out from the wisps of fog came a bullet. It struck Wisteria's horse. The poor animal cried in pain and collapsed, taking the unsuspecting woman with it.

"Wisteria!" Her teammates desperately called out to her.

As if given the signal, volleys of bullets tore through the fog and struck down the other horses. Without their horses, a means of quick escape was impossible.

Two people dropped down from the treetops, coming into full view of Pewter and the others. The one in front was a tall and imposing woman clad in armor and fur with long, grey hair that gradients to black at the tips. A Beowulf Grimm mask concealed the upper half of her face, and a pair of wolf ears atop her head complemented the accessory.

Next to the woman was her partner in crime, a young man with spiky black hair. His face was well-hidden behind the safety of bandanas and bandages. Attached to his waist armor were two swords and some bells.

"Damn it! Bandits?! Here?! Now?!" Pewter growled. The moment he raised his weapon for battle, the woman in front extended her arm out.

"We're not here to fight you," The Wolf Faunus announced, much to the confusion of the Huntsmen and merchants.

"Says the one that ordered me to shoot their horses," The young man behind her snidely commented.

"Hand over your food, medicine, and equipment!" The woman demanded. "You do that; we'll leave! No one has to get hurt!"

"Quite civil of you bandits," Pewter commented. His encounters with bandits in the past never reached the point of conversation. Most of them always shouted demands and death threats. "Unfortunately, we can't comply with your demands. Our mission is to make sure this caravan reaches Mistral."

"Doesn't look like they plan to cooperate, boss," The young bandit earnestly pointed out. His arms casually rested on the hilts of his swords, just waiting for the moment to draw them.

"Last chance," The woman warned her prey. She reached behind her back and gripped the handle of the large cleaver. "This doesn't have to end in bloodshed."

"You're right," Pewter agreed. The mission until that point hadn't encountered any problems. Honestly, the man preferred to keep it that way. "If you two drop your weapons now and surrender, we'll let you leave this place in one piece. You haven't taken anything yet. So, we can overlook this."

"Pewter!" The man's teammates exclaimed in unison. Indeed, the team wasn't on the same page.

"No can do," The woman uncovered her cleaver and took her stance. "We need your supplies,"

The young bandit behind her shrugged his shoulders and unsheathed his twin swords. "Ah, well, guess it's a fight."

In a matter of seconds, the area turned into a battlefield. The bandits rushed the Huntsmen. Just before they made contact, they split apart and attacked the frightened merchants.

Pewter and his team split up, defending the merchants and caravan the best they could. Pewter, armed with his buster sword, went toe to toe against the Wolf Faunus woman. With each mighty swing of his sword, he aimed purely for kill spots.

Although he was a Huntsman, a sworn protector of humanity, he had no qualms about killing anyone or anything that got in the way of his missions. The cries of pain and anguish that came from his defeated foes in the past meant nothing to him.

"Protect the merchants!" Wisteria cried out and aimed her rifle at the approaching bandit. Strangely enough, it appeared as if the young man glided across the field as a black light surrounded his body. He easily bypassed the defenses of Taupe and Russet with his unusual mobile patterns.

The sniper took a quick mental count and studied the bandit's movements. Once she found a rhythm, she pulled the trigger. The bullet nearly hit its mark until the man suddenly leaped into the air.

Wisteria raised her rifle and searched for the man through her scope. Upon finding nothing, she lowered her weapon and desperately looked around.

"Where the hell is he?!" She yelled. She and teammates went silent once the sound of bells flooded the ears of the combatants. With each chime, beads of sweat poured down the faces of the Huntsmen and merchants.

Soon, the bandit leaped from out the fog and aimed for the head of the sniper. It would've been his for the taking if not for the sacrifice of her teammate, Taupe. The man quickly pushed Wisteria out of the way and took the full brunt of the bandit's sneak attack.

A dark brown light shimmered around his back before he collapsed and hit the ground.

"Taupe!" Wisteria and Russet shouted.

Pewter looked over his shoulder and inspected the condition of his teammate. The Faunus took advantage of the Huntsman's carelessly and sliced him across the chest. The man exclaimed in pain and stepped away, placing a firm hand over his bleeding chest.

"Looking away from your opponent is a sure way to get yourself killed," The woman warned him before she proceeded with the attack.

"You bastard!" Wisteria raised her rifle and fired another shot toward the bandit.

"You're a terrible shot!" The bandit mocked her as he slid across the battlefield again. He closed the distance between them and landed a kick across her stomach. A lavender light shimmered across her body and dispersed when she flew across the area and hit a tree. "There goes your aura,"

He casually walked up to the downed woman. She slowly raised her rifle in spite of her injuries and tried to pull the trigger. But, a swift kick from the bandit knocked her prized weapon out from her hands.

"Damn you!" Wisteria cursed.

"Those are your last words? Alright then," The young man lifted his sword, preparing for the finishing blow.

"Get away from her!" Pewter shouted as he dropped down from the air. He slammed his sword on the ground, creating a shockwave that sent both bandits flying into nearby trees.

A grey light shimmered and dispersed around the Wolf Faunus' body.

"Wisteria and Taupe are vulnerable!" Russet informed his leader.

"Take them and the merchants out of here! I'll hold them off while you escape!" Pewter pointed his buster sword toward the bandits.

"Are you insane? You can't take them by yourself!"

"That's an order! Go! I'll catch up!"

While reluctant, Russet collected his wounded partners and assisted the merchants with their retreat. They couldn't gather all their supplies, so they took what they could.

"You good, boss?" The young man inquired, having noticed the blood pouring down the woman's cheek.

"I'm fine. Gimme a second to rest, and I'll chase the bastards down." The woman weakly responded.

"Guess that leaves him to me," The bandit set his sights on the Huntsman. Quite satisfied with the situation, he removed the bandages from around his face, having no problems showing his identity. "Ah, much better. Now I can see clearly."

Pewter took that remark of his as a personal insult. "You purposely handicapped yourself while fighting us? Are you that confident that you can beat us?"

"Yeah," The young man calmly answered. "They called you Pewter, right?"

"Yes. My name is Pewter Strauss. The leader of Team PWTR."

"Cool. Sweet. My name's Schwartz der Hund. Make sure to remember that name when I kill you," Schwartz said before he commenced with the battle at hand. The time for idle chatter was over.

He didn't even give the man enough time to respond. Within a matter of seconds, Schwartz closed the distance between the two of them and attacked with his sabre. Pewter raised his sword and clashed with the man. The Huntsmen expressed his frustration as he noticed the utter delight in the amber eyes of the bandit.

With a single kick from Schwartz, Pewter was knocked back into a nearby tree. He regained his composure just in time to evade a sword thrust from the man. An impish chuckle escaped from Schwartz's mouth as he removed his sword from the tree. He and the Huntsman shared a brief dance between attack and parries until he gained the upper hand and kicked Pewter further into the forest. Another laugh left from the man's mouth as he continued with the assault.

He closed the distance between them within seconds once again. Pewter kept his guard up and blocked all the bandit's swift, sword strikes. Schwartz's gazes moved down to the Huntsman's leg for a second. There, he swept the Huntsman off his feet with a sweep kick—immediately following up with a spinning back kick.

Pewter tumbled to the ground once more, finding himself in a small swamp area. The thick fog combined with the mud restricting the man's movements put him at an immediate disadvantage. When he regained his footing, Schwartz had vanished from his line of sight. He desperately scanned the area for any sign of the bandit.

But, he found nothing.

Not a single trace.

The Huntsman steadied his breathing and closed his eyes, putting all his effort into his hearing. The ambiance of the swamp slowly drowned out from his mind, the harder he focused. Eventually, the chiming of bells resounded in his head, prompting him to sharply turn around just in time to block a sneak attack from his opponent. Bullets rained down from the sky, which Pewter blocked with his sword.

From what Pewter could see, Schwartz's swords transformed into SMGs.

"Good job! You heard the bells!" Schwartz congratulated Pewter. "Now, let's kick it up a notch!"

The bandit leaped across the treetops and unleashed a barrage of bullets. Pewter stood his ground and deflected all the projectiles with his swords. Schwartz's smile grew wider as the Huntsman continued to showcase his prowess. The bandit made sure to avoid the swamp area, not wanting the swamp to obstruct his mobility.

In the swamp, the Huntsman was at a clear disadvantage. When the rain of bullets stopped, Pewter escaped from the area and returned to dry land. A black-light emanated from Schwartz's body as he leaped from the tree, leaving behind a trail of that very light. It appeared as if he glided through the air until his feet hit the ground, but even then, he continued to slide across the surface with the same momentum.

Unhindered by the ground or mud, Schwartz closed in on Pewter, unfolding his twin swords back into their blade form, allowing him to slash at the Huntsman.

Both his attempts failed.

Pewter evaded the attacks then retaliated with a vicious horizontal slash. Schwartz used both swords to defend, but the force of the attack was more potent than he predicted. He was thrown violently through a nearby tree.

Pewter slowly approached the downed bandit, believing that it would take more than that to end the fight. His intuition proved to be correct. Schwartz leaned up and fired more bullets at him.

None hit him thanks to his sword defense.

Schwartz laughed and moved in, attacking with great ferocity. The black-light enveloped his body again as he resumed to glide across the battlefield, using his unorthodox movements to pin Pewter down. But the Huntsman's guard remained undeterred.

When the opportunity presented itself, he switched and went on the offensive. Schwartz blocked, dodged, then parried all the Huntsman's attacks.

Pewter raised his sword, let out a mighty roar, then went for a mighty vertical slash. Schwartz stood his ground and blocked the attack, which he immediately regretted. The Huntsman's raw power nearly overwhelmed him, forcing him down to his knees, into the mud. The feeling of the cold, filthy substance staining his pants and shoes made the bandit grimace behind his bandages.

Pewter's blade drew closer to the bandit's face when the Huntsman noticed the loss of focus from Schwartz.

"This is where you lose," Pewter announced, leaning forward and increasing the pressure on his sword. Regarding physical strength, the Huntsman certainly had Schwartz beat. However, in combat, there were several variables to consider.

Schwartz smirked and transformed one of his swords into its gun form. He pulled the trigger and fired off a few, short bursts of bullets into the ground. The mud beneath them splattered around, soiling their clothes and bodies. Pewter brought his arm to his face to shield his eyes from the dirt.

Schwartz jumped in the air then flipped, sending Pewter sprawling across the ground with a dropkick. Not giving the man any time to recover, the bandit closed the distance between them, not allowing Pewter to raise his sword. Schwartz struck his opponent with fierce slashes from his sword, following up with a swift spin kick to the man's stomach afterward.

That kick got the job done. Pewter lost the strength even to hold the weapon, let alone stand. A blue light flickered around the man's body before dissipating.

The sight of the large man dropping down to his knees brought a smile to Schwartz's face as he taunted, "Your aura's gone, Huntsman. It's not looking good for you."

"Damn you!" Pewter swore.

This defeat wasn't supposed to happen. Pewter wasn't supposed to lose to some lowlife bandit. His years of training should've outclassed the ruffian in every way possible.

As Schwartz approached, the reality of his death slowly began to creep in.

"No need to be upset, Huntsman. You put up a good fight. It just turned out that I'm better than you, that's all." Schwartz nonchalantly spoke.

"Why are you doing this?" Pewter suddenly asked, his breathing grew rough.

"I'm a bandit, pal. Taking things is what we do."

Was this it for him? Would Pewter die in a godforsaken forest by some worthless bandit?

No.

That's not how he wanted to go out. There was still much for him to do--much for him to accomplish in his life. He refused to go down.

Pewter roared and flung mud into Schwartz's face. Afterward, he bolted for his sword. If he could reach it, perhaps he could turn the tide of the battle. That hope of his vanished when a sharp pain pierced through his heel.

He collapsed and skidded across the ground. The source of the pain came from the sword lodged in his foot. His roar of anguish brought a smile to Schwartz's face.

"Fucker, you got me dirty!" Schwartz pressed his foot against the end of his sword, adding more pressure to it, further lodging the blade into the downed man's heel.

"Stop!" Pewter desperately cried out. But, the bandit ignored those cries. Schwartz then moved his foot onto the man's chest, keeping him pinned. He transformed his other sword into its gun form, aiming at the Huntsman's face. Without another word, he pulled the trigger.

Blood and mud-splattered around him.

He grimaced at the sight of the gaping hole in Pewter's face. His grimace only worsened when he looked down to his attire, soiled with blood and mud.

"Damn it! I just had this fucking cleaned today!" Schwartz complained, sheathing his swords, then heading off in the direction of the caravan.


	2. Watchet Amin!

_“Snakes prefer to hide under flowers.”_

* * *

In the rural village of Mistral, Hanakotoba, a young man with slicked-back, black hair wandered down the busy market area. Crowds of people lined the streets as street vendors and merchants called out to their potential customers, promoting their goods to the best of their abilities. The young man lifted his shaded glasses to his forehead, eyeing the possible items that he could purchase. 

"See anything you like?" The street vendor showcased several items at his stand. The young man moved his shades over his eyes and shook his head.

"Sorry, I don't see anything I would need on my journey. Good luck with your sales." The young man smiled and waved goodbye to the vendor.

"Alright, then. Be happy." The vendor waved then returned to calling out to other customers. 

Almost immediately, dozens of others repeated the vendor's words, as if it were a mantra. The young man had always wondered why that phrase, most of all, was repeated throughout the village. To him, everyone already seemed happy without having to mention the mantra. He couldn't spot a single person without a smile on their face. 

Not that he minded.

Throughout his travels in Remnant, a village full of smiles was one of his most significant discoveries. 

Along with his walk further down the road, he stopped when he noticed a large group of people gathering at a single point. His curiosity drew him closer. When he gently made his way through the crowd, he spotted three grown men in armor standing over a bunch of children, laughing and jeering at them with evident delight. The children, on the other hand, were on the brink of tears.

Lying at the feet of the children were several deflated balls. From all the holes punctured into them, it was evident to everyone that they were all stabbed.

“Why did you do that?” One of the children sniffled, trying his best to hold back his tears.

“It was in my way, brat. What would you have done if I tripped and fell because of that ball? That would’ve upset me.” The leader of the three men responded with a haughty tone. He was the largest of the group. His equipment was clearly of a higher grade than his partners.

“And once our boss gets upset, bad things tend to happen. Say, attracting the Grimm, for instance.” Another man announced.

Worried glances traded between the people of the village after hearing the man’s words.

“You don’t want the Grimm to come here and destroy this village now, do you?” The third man leaned in, grinning mischievously at the kids.

“…No…” The kid shook his head.

“Then, all is forgiven.” The leader shrugged his shoulders with an arrogant smirk. “You should be more careful when playing ball in the street, kid. It’s dangerous.”

And with that, the three men wandered down the street without a care in the world. Their disgusting laughter vanished the farther they got from the scene, which delighted the young man. The villagers dispersed and cleared a path for them. Afterward, a few of the villagers approached the children, ensuring that they were safe from harm.

“Damn those, Huntsmen. Why did we even bother hiring them if they were going to throw their weight around?” A disgruntled villager asked.

"Free food and drinks, housing, they're slowly taking everything from this village." Another villager complained.

“But what can we do? If we try and tell them to leave, we’ll have no one else to protect us from the Grimm or bandits.”

“We’ll have to continue tolerating them for now. Their actions haven’t escalated that far.”

The young man frowned after listening to the villagers. It wasn’t his place to say since he was just a wanderer, but he didn’t like the Huntsmen. It was a Huntsmen’s duty to protect humanity from the creatures of Grimm. And yet, he encountered three that were abusing their power against the people that they were meant to protect.

He had heard of cases where Huntsmen fell from grace then turned to crime to support themselves. He believed it was genuinely pathetic for Huntsmen to sink so low. To him, if they failed their sworn duty to protect humanity, then what was the meaning of their training? Their existence even?

They were worthless. 

A waste of space.

Garbage.

Garbage that needed to be disposed of before they spread their filth to others.

The young man steeled himself then approached the children, wanting to ensure that they were unharmed.

“Excuse me,” He called out to them, “None of you kids are hurt, right?”

The kids hesitantly traded glances before shaking their heads in unison.

“That’s good. That’s good.” He knelt to meet them at eye level. “My name’s Watchet Amin. Would you care to explain what happened here?”

“It’s nothing, Mr. Amin. Please, don’t concern yourself with them.” A villager told him, wishing to squash the situation as soon as possible.

“Those jerks destroyed our ball.” The kid looked to Watchet. “We didn’t do anything wrong.”

“No, you didn’t.” Watchet turned his head in the direction the three Huntsmen left.

“I’d like to give those jerks a piece of my mind. But…” The second kid stopped mid-way.

“We’re not allowed to be upset. The Grimm will come here.” The third kid reminded everyone.

“That’s why…we’re not allowed to cry…” The first kid added.

“I see…” Watchet nodded his head in understanding. At that point, everything began to make sense of why he kept hearing the same phrase always, why the villagers tolerated the Huntsmen.

The threat of the Grimm. Enemies of humanity. They're drawn to negative emotions and destroy anything in their path. 

The people of the village repeated their mantra of "be happy" to brainwash themselves into false perceived happiness. A pointless tactic. They could try and fool themselves all they'd like. But, their erroneous feelings wouldn't stop the Grimm. It's the opposite.

“Listen, Mr. Amin,” Another villager called out to him, “I’m sure that you doubt our way of life here. But, this is all we have right now. Grimm activity has increased in this area. We need those Huntsmen here for protection for now.”

“No, no, I understand.” Watchet dismissed the villager’s words. “I’m not judging you. Desperate times call for desperate measures. But still…it’s no excuse for their behavior. They need to be taught a lesson.”

The venom in his words alerted the villagers around him. In an instant, numbers of villagers had surrounded him, begging him not to confront the Huntsmen. However, their words fell on deaf ears. The young man looked down at the kids.

“Would you like for me to get those mean men to apologize?”

The eyes of the kids brightened immediately. They jumped up and down with broad smiles, looking up towards Watchet with eyes of expectancy. Those expressions alone were more than enough to convince him to go through with his plan.

The villagers continued to plead for the man to drop the situation, but he refused to do so. With great conviction, he marched down the road, following the Huntsmen. It didn’t take long for him to find them. They situated themselves outside of a tavern, cat-calling female villagers that crossed their path.

“Excuse me,” Watchet called out to them. The Huntsmen turned their heads then scowled at the sight of him. Any ordinary person would’ve been intimidated, but not Watchet. “Hello there. My name is Watchet Amin.”

The Huntsmen exchanged glances then looked back to Watchet. The one in the middle stepped forward, then said, “Braith.”

“Well, Braith, let me start by saying that I didn’t appreciate what you three did back there with those kids. It was uncalled for.”

“Uncalled for?” Braith asked while his cronies stood behind him with mischievous smirks. “How so? Those kids were dangerously playing out in the busy street with that ball. Someone could’ve gotten hurt. Someone had to step in doing something about that.”

“So, stabbing a kid’s ball was your best solution?” Watchet tilted his head to the side, carefully gauging the Huntsmen’s reactions. His jaw tightened the moment a disgusting smile flashed across Braith’s face.

“It solved the problem, didn’t it? Those kids won’t carelessly play around in the street anymore.” The other Huntsmen mentioned.

“Especially when we’re passing through,” said Braith, turning his back to Watchet.

“Pathetic. How far have you three fallen from your righteous path?” Watchet wondered aloud as he brought his hand up to his chin. The Huntsmen slowly turned to face him again; their expressions grew fierce. But, Watchet remained unaffected.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Braith glared at him.

“We’re doing our jobs and keeping this village safe.” The other Huntsmen added.

“The people are happy thanks to us.” said the last Huntsmen.

“Erroneous,” Watchet shook his head, glancing around and taking notice of the unsettled expressions from the onlookers, “You three are failures as Huntsmen. But, I’m not here to administer any punishment. All I would like for you three to do is to apologize to the kids whose ball you ruined.”

“Oh yeah?” Braith stepped forward, getting into Watchet’s face. “And what if we don’t? What are you going to do?”

“Then…I’ll make you do it,” Watchet replied with sheer conviction. The Huntsmen surrounded him, their hands placed on their weapons. “I’d rather avoid using violence. But, it doesn’t appear like you three will back down so easily.”

“Of course, not…” The Huntsmen pulled out their weapons then took their respective stances.

Watchet eyed them carefully from behind the safety of his shades. From his perspective, they didn’t seem all that strong. They were men that picked on helpless children and villagers. But even then, he refused to underestimate them. He was already at a disadvantage fighting three people at once.

The first thing he tried to do was gain some distance. The moment he took a step back, the first two Huntsmen were already on him. They attacked from both sides simultaneously, showing enough teamwork and precision not to hit each other during their attacks. Watchet walked backward and deflected each strike with the palms of his hands.

Braith moved in once he believed that Watchet was too occupied with his partners. The swordsman closed in from behind then performed a horizontal slash. His sword only cut through the air.

Watchet had jumped then landed on a building behind him. Then, he reached over his shoulder and grabbed the handle of the sword affixed to his back. He removed the sword from its sheath in a flawless motion. It shone in the light and danced around him like a cloth until he came to a complete stop, revealing his weapon of choice to the Huntsmen.

“What's up with that sword?” Braith tilted his head at the odd choice of weaponry. He then turned his head to face his partners, nudging his head for them to continue with the fight.

The two Huntsmen charged ahead with confident expressions. In a blink of an eye, Watchet launched himself from the building, passing through the Huntsmen with ease. Once on the ground, he swung his sword. The intricate movements of the flexible blade overwhelmed the Huntsmen. They were forced to retreat and gain some distance.

But, their efforts were futile. The blade appeared to chase after them as if it had a mind of its own. The first Huntsmen defended himself with his twin axes while the second one moved in for the attack. He reached Watchet in an instant then attacked with his sword.

The young man used his free hand to redirect the sword in another direction, leaving the Huntsmen wide open. Then, he slammed the palm of his hand into the Huntsmen’s chest, sending him reeling into the other one. Braith gritted his teeth at the sight of his partners being defeated. He raised his sword and charged forward.

Watchet retreated to gain some distance, meanwhile using his weapon to halt Braith’s charge. Braith remained steadfast and showcased enough proficiency to deflect each attack thrown at him. Once within range, he made several quick, but futile swings at Watchet as the young man dodged the blade. It wasn’t until the Huntsmen’s final swing that he found an opportunity.

He leaned backward, watching the blade cut through the air. Afterward, he straightened himself and reverted his sword whip to its previous form before he careened past Braith. At first, Braith felt no pain. He sharply turned around and prepared to continue with the fight; however, he stopped once he heard cracks appearing on his armor.

At that moment, it shattered. The pieces fell around his feet. When he raised his head, Watchet’s sword was there, inches away from his face. Braith gritted his teeth once more before he dropped his sword on the ground.

“…You win…” He reluctantly admitted. He expected to see a smile cross the young man’s face. But, it never came.

Watchet’s calm disposition never faltered. “This was never about winning. This is about redemption.” He removed his shades, revealing his copper-colored eyes to the Huntsmen. However, his eyes soon flashed different colors, alarming Braith.

But, he couldn’t move from that spot. He was frozen. Although his brain ordered his body to move, it refused to listen.

“The first thing you are going to do is go back to those children and apologize for your inappropriate actions. Afterward, you will apologize to the people of this village and request for other Huntsmen to protect this place in your stead. And then once that is completed…” Watchet stepped forward, leaning in closer to Braith to whisper, “I want you to kill your partners and then yourself.”

“…Understood…” Braith immediately replied. His eyes flashed the same colors that Watchet’s eyes did.

Once satisfied, Watchet put his shades back on then smiled. “Excellent. Run along now. It’s getting late.”

“Right.” Braith turned around to face his partners that soon recovered from the fight. “Let’s go.”

Although confused by their leader’s sudden change in behavior, the two Huntsmen followed after him. Once they disappeared down the road, the spectators quickly surrounded Watchet, openly cheering.

“That was amazing!”

“You showed those Huntsmen whose boss!”

“Are you a Huntsman?”

“How long are you planning on staying here?”

A hearty chuckle escaped past Watchet’s lips. He spoke with the villagers for a while before he decided to move on. He had a destination to reach after all, and he didn’t wish to be late. He bid the village farewell then continued out into the wildlands. He reached into his pocket then pulled out a small poster on the front of the poster featured two silhouettes with the words, “Haven Academy. Be A Hero.”, on it. That single poster brought a smile to his face. He set the poster back in his pocket, then ran down the road as fast as he could.


	3. Rowan Cassidy

_“No matter how long a fox lives, it will never be up to any good.”_

* * *

Le Chien, a fancy, well-established five-star restaurant located in the commercial zone of Mistral. An establishment that exudes elegance and boasts its superiority with its decor. Members of the upper-class society wined and dine there. People that ranged from top business officials and politicians. After all, it was the best place to be. 

It was the perfect place for an ideal mark.

A young woman entered the restaurant, dressed in an Atlesian Military attire. She walked with clear authority, ignoring the curious, admiring stares she got from the ones she passed. She approached the host stand and stopped in front of the man behind it. 

While intimidated by the presence of the woman, the host kept his composure and spoke, "Reservations?"

"Yes," The woman answered. "The reservation is under the name, Mr. Morado." 

The host searched through the names of the reservation book, feeling the intense gaze from the woman's muddy-green eyes. His finger soon rested on the name, Mr. Morado. The man looked up and smiled, leading the military officer to her designated table. It was located in the far back of the room, right next to the bathrooms.

The woman grimaced. Unlike most of the other tables in the restaurant, several candles decorated the surface. Obviously, to mask the foul smell of the bathrooms. It took a lot of mental fortitude from the woman not to outright complain to the host. 

She knew it wasn't his fault for the choice of seating. Perhaps it was all that was available. Nonetheless, the woman accepted the seat with a forced smile. When the host returned to his post, the smile faded.

Time passed.

The woman remained in her seat, keeping up with her appearances. Her face was stern, and her posture was straight and proper. Her eyes shifted to the clock on the wall now and then. She arrived fifteen minutes early to the restaurant.

Punctuality was vital to her.

But her date didn't feel the same way. 

"He's late..." The woman rhythmically tapped her fingers on the table with the other. Her eyes shifted from right to left, scanning the area around her. Dozens of people filled the room, eating elegantly with their partners, laughing away without a care in the world.

Careless and defenseless. 

"Just try and put up with it a little while longer, Rowan." A feminine voice came from the earbud in the woman's ear.

Rowan rolled her eyes and responded, "I'm trying. But, it's uncomfortable being here. And I hate this outfit. It's hugging me in places it shouldn't."

"Maybe that has something to do with you picking an outfit two sizes smaller than you're used to." The voice chided.

"Shut up, Mari," Rowan said through clenched teeth. The woman looked ahead and smiled once a young man in a double-breasted, purple suit wandered over to the table. It was the man of the hour. Her date. Mr. Morado.

The man took a seat.

"Please excuse my tardiness. I got caught up in a meeting." Morado explained himself, wiping away some of the sweat on his face with a handkerchief.

"No worries. I just got here myself." Rowan replied.

"Oh, how very original. You come up with that one yourself?" Mari asked.

“Shut up, Mari!” Rowan internally screamed, struggling to keep a smiling face at the man in front of her.

“Now then, Miss. Mari Gould," Morado began.

“Yes." Rowan nodded.

"You bitch! You're using my name again?!" Mari shouted. The feedback from the sudden increase in volume caused Rowan to turn her head and cringe. The woman casually brought her hand up to her copper-colored hair and brushed it behind her left ear, stealthily removing the earbud in a flawless motion. 

"So, Ms. Mari Gould, you mentioned in your message that you're a special operative from Atlas, correct?" Morado rested his forearms on the table and leaned forward. "What brings you all the way here to Mistral?"

"Security matters. Recently, there has been a string of high-end robberies occurring around the kingdoms. My commanding officer, General James Ironwood, has sent me here because he believes that Mistral will be the criminal's next target. I've done some investigating on the manner, and I've concluded that your company, Mr. Morado, will be next." 

Morado looked at Rowan with dubious eyes. "Preposterous. I've never heard of any string of high-end robberies."

"Of course, I have proof." Rowan reached into her uniform and pulled out her scroll. She swiped through the photos on the screen, detailing information about numerous robberies throughout Remnant. "So far, small businesses and shipments owned by the Schnee Dust Company have been targeted. However, I have come to believe that will not be the case for much longer."

"I am not worried about some thugs. My security is top-notch. Not a single piece of merchandise has ever been stolen from me." Morado proudly proclaimed as he moved his hand to his chest. It was that exact level of arrogance, that hubris that made guys like him prime targets fro Rowan. If he refused to acknowledge the possibility others could steal from him; then he was in for a rude awakening.

"There's a first time for everything, Mr. Morado. It's always better to be safe than sorry."

“So, you’re here to make sure that I’m safe?”

"Yes."

"Say if I were to believe your suspicions. Where we would go from here?"

"The first thing that would need to be done would be for me to examine the security of your company. I will need all the information you have on your security systems, your staff, everything." 

"Everything?"

"Yes, sir. Everything. These criminals can steal from the Schnee Dust Company, after all. We cannot afford to be careless." 

"Careless, huh?" Morado leaned back in his chair and chuckled. Four waiters approached the man from behind, carrying chairs. Each of them pulled up on the sides of the table and took a seat. "That is rich coming from someone like you."

Rowan tightened her jaw and tightly clenched the tablecloth. All eyes were on her. At first, she tried to keep her eyes solely on Morado. But, her eyes unconsciously shifted to the man seated next to him. It was a man she had long recognized. Tall and burly, even while seated, the man towered over her. 

The other three men she didn't recognize. Nor did she care for that matter. There was only one threat at that table — a tall, athletic-looking man wearing a brown suit and purple lipstick. Nothing about him spoke subtly, something Rowan internally screamed about in her head.

"Well, well, well," The man began as he rested his hands on the table with a sly grin, "If it isn't my old friend, Rowan Cassidy. How've you been?"

"Duncan..." Rowan spat.

"I must say, Mr. Duncan, everything went exactly as you predicted. I am surprised she did not see through this elaborate trap." Morado bragged. 

"That's always been one of her weaknesses, Morado. Arrogance." Duncan proclaimed. "Rowan here is a con artist from Vacuo. I met her a couple of years back. She targets saps like you and robs them of everything before running off with her tail between her legs. Or rather, she used to be able to do that."

Duncan and his men joined together in mocking laughter. Others in the restaurant turned to face them, but then quickly turned again once they settled down. 

"How'd you find me, Duncan?" Rowan asked.

"It was simple. You may not notice it, Rowan, but you have a pattern. I picked up on it and found your target before you did." Duncan explained. He grabbed a glass of wine from one of his men and poured himself a drink. "So, here we are again. How many times have we run into each other now?"

“Thirteen,” Rowan answered.

“Thirteen,” He quietly repeated with a nod of his head. He lifted his drink and took a sip. “Hopefully, this time will be the last one. You should have the money you owe us by now, right?”

"I don't owe you anything." Rowan defiantly shook her head. 

“You owe me everything!" Duncan slammed his fist on the table. All eyes turned to him at that moment. "You put a bullet in my back and left me to die in the sandy dunes of Vacuo!"

"Lower your voice, Mr. Duncan," Morado demanded.

"Shut up!" Duncan snapped his fingers. His men pulled out guns from their aprons and fired into the air. The people ran and screamed their heads off, evacuating the restaurant. "I'm the one in control here! Not you!"

"See? That's why I did what I did, Duncan." Rowan sighed. "You're a loose cannon. You don't think before you act. People like you are more trouble than they're worth."

Not a single shred of guilt or remorse lingered in the woman's voice. She knew what she had done was something unforgivable. She didn't expect any forgiveness. Nor did she expect any punishment. 

“Well, since you don't plan to pay me back with the money you owe me. I'll settle for taking your life." Duncan took a gun from one of his men. He aimed it directly at Rowan's face.

"Wait a minute, Mr. Duncan!" Morado called out to the deranged man. "This was not part of the deal! You said that we would call the proper authorities and have the woman arrested!"

"Why are you still here, vermin?!" Duncan turned his gun to Morado and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered. It reached across the table and hit Rowan's cheek. She grimaced as the man's body hit the floor. Afterward, her gaze moved to the guns pointed at her once more. "Now then, where were we? Oh, that's right. Killing you."

"Is this necessary, Duncan?" Rowan asked.

"Of course. We'll gun you down and leave you for dead. It's fitting." Duncan and his men pulled their triggers and fired off multiple shots at the seated woman. 

At that moment, a pulse wave of energy enveloped the entire area. Everything appeared to have come to a complete stop. Rowan stood up from her chair, then leisurely walked around the group of men. She repositioned the ones that shot at her, ensuring that they were aiming their guns at each other. Later, her sights set on Duncan. She walked over to him, pulled the seat out from under him, then smirked before heading towards the door.

Before she could reach it, however, things returned to normal. Duncan’s men shot each other down, collapsing to the floor along with their leader. Duncan was the only one to recover. He shot up from the ground then glared across the room at the smiling vixen. She teasingly waved him goodbye before she left the restaurant.

“Run, run, as fast as you can…” Duncan angrily muttered. He stepped over the bodies of his men then chased after Rowan.

“Son of a bitch! Why did he have to show up now at all times?” Rowan ran down the street as fast she could, avoiding the civilians. She placed her earbud back in her ear, then yelled, “Mari! Why didn’t you warn me about Duncan?!”

“I don’t know; maybe it had something to do with you removing your earbud so I couldn’t! What’s wrong with you? How many times have I warned you never to remove your earbud?” Mari scolded her partner.

Rowan rolled her eyes and kept running, “Whatever! It looks like this place is no good either! I guess we’ll have to make a break for Menagerie!”

“It won’t do us any good if you don’t kill Duncan once and for all, Rowan! He’ll continue to follow us until you’re dead!”

A shot rang out in the area. Even though it was against her instincts, Rowan regrettably looked over her shoulder. And surprise, surprise, it was none other than Duncan. He began to close in on her, forcing her to pick up the pace. More shots came towards her. Each one rushed past her until one finally hit its mark. The bullet hit her shoulder, disrupting her momentum, which caused her to violently sprawl across the ground.

Once she finally stopped, Duncan already stood over her. His gun aimed directly at her face. When he pulled the trigger, another wave pulse of energy enveloped the area. Rowan extended her arms out, allowing two twin derringer pistols to shoot out from her sleeves into her hands thanks to the unique mechanisms attached to her arms. She aimed the guns at the still man then unloaded multiple shots at him.

The unsuspecting man was bombarded with explosive bullets. A light flickered around his body before dissipating. Afterward, he was violently knocked to the ground with a kick from Rowan.

“It’s over…” Rowan stepped on Duncan’s chest and aimed her guns at him.

Duncan coughed violently for a moment before he weakly responded, “Come on now, Rowan. We’ve done this same song and dance several times now. You don’t have the guts to kill me. Or anyone for that matter.”

“Try me…” She glared at him. However, it didn’t appear to have any effect on him. The proud smile on his face said it all. Rowan gritted her teeth then pulled the trigger. But, it didn’t hit Duncan. Instead, the bullet contacted the ground inches away from his face.

“See? I told you that you wouldn’t kill me. You don’t have it in you…” Duncan taunted her.

Rowan kicked the downed man across the face, rendering him unconscious. Not long afterward did Mistral Police arrive on the scene. The young vixen made up a quick sob story on the spot and had the man detained and arrested, where he'd hopefully stay for the rest of his days.

But, she was a realist. Sooner or later, the man would escape and chase after her again. Rowan wanted to make sure she was as far away from Mistral as possible. 

Afterward, she turned her back to him and walked off. She ignored the gazes of the crowd and continued going down the road.

“Mari. I’m sorry…I couldn’t do it…” She sincerely apologized to her partner. 

"Don't apologize to me, Rowan. I'm not the one that has to deal with him. That's all on you," Mari dismissed the apology with a sardonic tone.

"Well, so much for Mistral," Rowan complained. "Guess I'll head off to Menagerie for a little while. It could be interesting. Mari, mind making me a new ID?"

"No, you're not running this time." Mari refused.

"What?"

"Thirteen times. Thirteen times Duncan has interfered in our scams. I'm getting sick of tired of it." Mari said. "This time, only Duncan will be the one to go on a trip."

"What are you planning?" 

"I've already set up a little paper trail. Whenever Duncan escapes, he'll discover that you've already bought yourself a ticket to Menagerie. However, you'll stay in Mistral."

"And do what? That situation at the restaurant isn’t something that can be easily erased." 

"Erased? No. Altered? Hell, yes!"

Rowan entered an alleyway and shook her head at the sound of the clattering keyboard from her earpiece. She knew better than to underestimate the technical prowess of her companion.

"Okay, fine. If I'm going to stay here in Mistral, I'm going to need a place to stay and lay low."

"Already have that covered. Although, you're not going to like it."

"Why not?" Rowan couldn't explain it, but she felt an explicit sensation wash over her. As if warning her of the potential dangers that resided in her partner's next sentence.

"How'd you feel about going to school?" Mari asked.


	4. Zorina Hertz!

_“The bat hanging upside down laughs at the topsy-turvy world.”_

* * *

The Hertz Family mansion. A lavish household in one of the high-class, residential areas in Mistral. People of high-status, Huntsmen, Nobles, Politicians, and so on, arrived at the manor in droves. Today was a special day. It was an event that happened only once a year at the house-the future Huntsmen Academy student enrollment.

Dozens of students attended the event with their parents and or sponsors. Most of them with bright futures ahead of them and others were unable to get into Haven Academy. Sure, there were other Huntsmen Academies they could've attended. But, this one was guaranteed to ensure a prosperous future in the world after graduation as the person hosting the event was a famous Huntress and Matriarch of the Hertz Family, Danica Hertz.

The large crowd of people gathered in the auditorium. Guests and spectators moved to the stands, while the participants in the enrollment stayed in the center of the room.

Young men and women stood proudly with bright smiles as they faced the staircase. At the top of the stairs resided the matriarch of the Hertz Family, Danica Hertz, a noblewoman of noticeable age. With her trademark cane in hand, she elegantly brandished it to the crowd before her.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the Hertz Family manor. We are honored to have you here with us today," Danica greeted her wonderful guests. "If not for all of your loving support, this goal of mine would not come this close to fruition. Those of you that are participating today will have the honor and prestige of being the first generation of students to attend the Hertz Huntsmen Academy."

Thunderous applause resounded in the auditorium. Everyone was ready to get on with the event.

"Like the previous events, we will have the combatants draw lots and have them go through the bracket. The winner will get the chance to face my very daughter in a match afterward."

With nothing left to say to her guests, Danica signaled for the start of the event. Meanwhile, on one of the higher floors of the manor, the person of the hour rested peacefully in their bedroom. A room concealed in darkness, the décor boastedvGothic art, completely contrasting the beautiful, elegant, and refined décor of the rest of the manor.

The doors to the room opened. A senior man entered the room and maneuvered through the dark abyss without issue. He approached the black curtains and swung them open, allowing the bright, cleansing rays of the sun to bleach through the windows. Almost immediately, the darkness vanished, bathing the room in its warmth. Although it was to the comfort of the older man, the owner of the place didn't feel the same way.

The moment the light touched her skin, she wailed in pain and rolled off the bed, wrapping herself in the safety of her covers.

The old man shook his head and responded, "Madam Zorina, it is nearly time for your match."

"The light! The light! It's burning the delicate skin of this Empress of Darkness!" Zorina continued to wail in pain. She thrashed about on the floor, kicking and swinging her arms around, completely unfitting someone of noble birth.

"Once again, Madam Zorina, your skin is fine. The light does not harm you." The older man said in a monotone, having to deal with the same routine every day indeed took its toll on the poor butler. Nonetheless, he performed his duties and prepped the girl for her match.

"You will suffer in the eternal abyss of darkness, foolish, Sonnen. Your treachery for entering my domain without my permission will not go unpunished." Zorina stood from the floor and struck an odd pose. Her covers dropped to the floor, unveiling her naked body to the butler.

However, the man's eyes did not wander.

"Madam Zorina, please get yourself dressed for combat," Sonnen informed her.

Zorina looked down at her covers. Her face flushed immediately as she picked up the blankets and rushed into her closet. The doors to the closet swung open seconds later, revealing a combat-ready Zorina. Her leather combat outfit was predominantly black, and affixed to her back was her weapon of choice—a giant scythe with the blade-shaped like the wing of a bat.

"Hmph, that foolish mortal will feel my wrath! All that have challenged the Empress of Darkness have suffered a fate worse than death!" Zorina stepped out from the closet, wrapping her hands in bandages.

Sonnen shook his head and approached the girl. "Madam Zorina, I believe this is not the attire your parents wish for you to wear for battle."

"My creators are not the ones engaging in this skirmish, now are they?" Zorina defiantly crossed her arms over her chest. If she was going to battle, she wanted to wear something that suited her.

"No, but as long as you are living under their roof, you must abide by their rules." The butler brushed the bangs out of the way of Zorina's face, revealing crimson eyes. "I understand you have your…idiosyncrasies. But, you must control yourself while guests are in attendance. Those are the rules. Take out those contacts, change your clothes, and get ready. The tournament will end soon."

"I hate the rules…" Zorina spat. However, she returned to the closet and changed her clothes as instructed. When the closet doors swung open again, she came out a different person. The bangs of her silver hair were parted, revealing her full, delicate facial features. Her clothes were no longer dark and brooding. But instead, they were light and elegant—certainly those befitting a person of noble status. "I look ridiculous. How can anyone fight in something like this?!"

"If you properly trained with me as I instructed, you would be able to maneuver in that outfit without difficulty," Sonnen said.

"I can hardly move in this wretched thing! Who in their right mind would want to fight in a dress?!"

"It is a combat skirt, madam."

"Whatever. Let's get this over with." Zorina walked past her butler and headed out of the room. She and Sonnen proceeded through the mansion in complete silence, hardly acknowledging the handful of servants that lined the hallways. Zorina soon stopped in front of a large set of doors that led into the auditorium. She hadn't even entered the room, and yet Zorina already felt the tension in the air. How many people had gathered to see her fight?

When would it all end?

"Madam Zorina, you do not want to keep everyone waiting." Sonnen placed his hand on Zorina 's shoulder.

"Right…" Zorina took one last deep breath then pushed the doors open. The auditorium grew silent as she entered the room. All eyes were on her. But, she ignored them. She kept her focus on the man that stood in the middle of the room with his sword in hand.

She immediately recognized him.

"Zorina." The young man called out to her.

"Hello, Stein." Zorina pleasantly returned the man's greeting, following up with a curtsey. Oh, how that action alone killed her on the inside.

"I hope you're ready to lose this year. If anyone gets recognized as the top student at Hertz Academy, it'll be me." Stein boasted as he pointed his sword at her.

"You said that last year, and the year before that." Zorina held her hand out. Sonnen handed the young girl's weapon over to her, which she chose to swing around as a method of intimidation stylishly. The onlookers gasped in awe at how smoothly the scythe flowed from one hand to the other. A single misstep could cost the girl an arm or her head. She finished showing off and rested her weapon on her shoulder.

"If everyone is ready," The voice of authority came from Danica. Zorina unconsciously shuddered and adjusted her posture, trying to appear more proper and elegant while in front of such a large crowd. "The final match will be Stein vs. my daughter, Zorina."

Right on cue, energy barriers constructed around the guests and onlookers for their protection and safety. Once confident that everything was in place, Sonnen gave the signal for the match to commence. The first one to strike was Stein. He cleared the distance between him and Zorina in a single lunge. Zorina's blade quickly blocked his preemptive strike. Nonetheless, he continued his assault.

He pressed forward, giving Zorina no quarter. Each sword strike of his proved to be fiercer than the last. Zorina was utterly on the defensive. She backed away and defended each blow that came her way. She gritted her teeth and pressed a button on the shaft of her scythe, activating one of the Dust crystals embedded in her weapon. The blade of her scythe caught ablaze, causing Stein to back away. Zorina performed several, well-performed swings. Arcs of flames shot out from the blade, heading straight for her opponent.

Stein dodged each projectile, ignoring the small explosions that erupted from behind him. When the flames around Zorina's blade vanished, he commenced with the attack. He lunged once more, using his growing momentum to perform a powerful slash. Zorina blocked the attack, but the force knocked her back. She tried to catch herself, but her blasted dress restricted her movements and caused her to trip and fall on her back. Gasps from the spectators filled the room.

However, the battle did not stop. Stein jumped into the air with his sword raised above his head. As he made his descent, Zorina tried to get back on her feet. Realizing she wouldn't make it in time, she used her last resort. She slammed the palm of her hand on the floor. Seconds later, the entire area was shrouded in darkness.

The spectators exclaimed in shock and confusion. Horrified screams soon filled the room as dozens tried to escape from the room. However, the darkness slowly disappeared, and all were able to see once again. They were blessed with the sight of Zorina standing over her defeated opponent.

Indistinct murmurs exchanged between the guests, trying to figure out what could have happened. The guests quieted down when they heard a round of applause from the higher floors. It came from Danica.

Albeit confused, the guests joined in the applause.

"Thank you, thank you." Zorina handed her weapon over to Sonnen then followed up with a curtsy.

"What a wonderful performance." Danica stood and ceased with her applause. She flashed a bright smile to the guests as she continued, "Once again, my daughter, Zorina, has defeated another opponent. This goes to show that my training is top-notch. Should any of your children wish to become as successful as mine, they should attend the soon to be constructed, Hertz Huntsman Academy."

Believing that she had finished her part, Zorina left the auditorium and headed back to her room. Sonnen followed close behind her.

"That was a close call, Madam Zorina." He stated.

"I know." Zorina sighed.

"Your mother will not be too pleased once she is done with the guests. You know your mother does not like it when you use your semblance."

"I know that, Sonnen!" Zorina exclaimed. All servants around her stopped performing their tasks and looked up at the silver-haired girl. "Just leave me alone for a while…" She barged into her room and slammed the door shut.

She quickly changed out of her clothes back into her previous attire. She then sat in her room in complete silence, contemplating how to deal with the storm that was soon to blow in her place.

As predicted, the door to her room burst open. Only one person entered the room—her mother.

The woman slowly approached her seated daughter, watching her face cringe each time her cane hit the floor.

"Care to explain what the hell happened out there, Zorina?" Danica demanded an explanation. Although her tone was soft and appeared sincere, Zorina wasn't foolish enough to fall for the woman's façade. She was aware of the malice behind her mother's voice and body language.

"I told you that I don't like wearing that crappy dress for combat. It restricts my movements and hinders my fighting style." Zorina complained, ensuring not to make eye contact with her mother.

"Fighting style? Do you mean that debauchery from earlier? I doubt anyone could call that a fighting style." Danica turned her back to Zorina, displaying a fierce scowl on her face. "That boy had you on the defensive the entire time. It eludes me how you inherited your father's raw strength, and yet you never utilize it properly."

"I would if you didn't always try to make me dress in such uncomfortable clothes."

"Being a huntress is all about skill and appearance. You are from a noble household; therefore, you should dress and fight like one. Your father and I have trained you for several years, and yet, somehow, you manage to ignore that training and do whatever the hell you please. I tolerated it for this long because you managed to win every fight. But, you had to resort to using that awful semblance of yours this time."

"There's nothing wrong with my semblance!" Zorina exclaimed. The moment she looked up, Danica sharply turned and held her cane inches away from her daughter's face.

"Nothing wrong with your semblance? Look around your room, Zorina!" Danica demanded. "Everything is black! You have grotesque signs and symbols all over the place! You parade around the house, boasting about how you are an Empress of Darkness!"

"That's—"

"Do you believe this is how a noble should act?! Instead of prancing around, playing dress-up and make-believe, you should train and hone your skills! You are going to be the top student at my Huntsman Academy! You need to be in top form!"

"I don't want to have any part of your Huntsman Academy!" Zorina stood to her feet and confronted her mother. "I've already decided to go to Haven! I'm through with your training!"

"Haven?! You are going to attend a school run by a coward?! What good will that do for your future?!"

"It's better than being here! At least there I'll have the freedom to do what I want!" Zorina tried to move past her mother, but the woman stood her ground.

"You are not going to disgrace this family by attending that school! I forbid it!" Danica slammed her cane on the ground. Zorina scowled and kicked the cane out from her mother's hand. She stepped aside and watched the woman hit the floor. Her first instinct was to help her mother back up. But, something ignited in her stomach.

It was her chance.

Without another word, Zorina rushed out of the room. She forced her way through the countless servants that tried to figure out what happened. The only person that brought her to a stop was Sonnen. The butler stood in front of the exit with both hands behind his back.

"Where are you going, Madam Zorina?" He questioned.

"I'm getting out of here, Sonnen. I'm sick of being their slave." Zorina didn't bother trying to hide her desires from the butler. She knew she could never hide anything from Sonnen for long.

"That is a harsh way of putting, Madam Zorina. Have you taken the time to think things through properly? Where do you plan to go? What are you going to do when you leave? Do you know what running away will do to your family?" He bombarded her with questions.

"I'll cross that bridge when I get there," Was Zorina's answer.

"Carelessness and recklessness will only get you so far, Madam Zorina. But this is your choice." Sonnen stepped aside and presented the exit before the girl.

"You're not going to stop me?" Zorina found the man's unexpected behavior odd.

"I haven't been given the order to do so. You should hurry and go before it comes, however." Sonnen warned.

Zorina smiled and approached her butler. She hugged the elderly man and said, "Thank you, Sonnen. I know what I'm doing is wrong, but I'm doing it for the right reasons. I need to go and be my own person."

"I understand. Good luck out there." Sonnen returned the hug and pushed the young girl out the door. He wished her all the best. After all, he knew all too well how dangerous and cruel the real world was. Perhaps a small taste of it would wake the girl up and bring her back to reality.


	5. From Bandit to Huntsman!

The battle against the Huntsmen was over. During his return to the caravan, Schwartz cleaned his clothes the best that he could. The mixture of blood and mud always proved challenging to wash off. It crossed his mind to ditch his clothes in the forest and find new ones. Perhaps the caravan would bring him such salvation from the filth he found himself covered in.

Upon his return, he spotted his partner in crime rested against the same tree she collided against earlier. He rushed over and checked on her condition.

"Bruna? Bruna! You alright?" Schwartz gently shook her.

The wasn't a response.

Schwartz removed the Grimm mask from the woman's face and slapped her cheek, hoping to get a reaction out of her. And in a matter of moments, he did. Bruna's eyes snapped open, and in a fit of rage, she punched Schwartz across his face in retaliation.

"God damn idiot! Who told you to remove my mask?!" Bruna scolded. It was one of her main rules while out in the field. Never remove the mask. Their identities as bandits must always remain concealed.

"No one else is around to see your pretty face, boss," Schwartz flirted, even though blood ran down his nose from the hit. He tore off small pieces of fabric from the bandages on his arms and stuck the pieces into his nostrils.

"Cut the shit," Bruna demanded and stood to her feet, albeit with difficulty. She wandered over to her mask and returned it to its rightful place over her face. "I take it; you took care of that, Pewter fellow?"

"Put one right between his eyes," Schwartz casually reported. "If you want we can take his body back and try to--"

"That won't be necessary," Bruna interrupted, having already predicted what her subordinate planned to suggest. The two bandits moved to the caravan and searched through its contents. Besides the necessities of food, clothes, and medicine, nothing else of real value caught their attention. "This isn't good. This kind of haul won't last as long."

"Especially not with all the mouths we gotta feed," Schwartz brought up, which earned him a glance from his superior. "Speaking of which, have you heard back from the others? They should've raided the other caravans by now."

"My scroll was damaged when I hit the tree," Bruna revealed. She reached in her pocket and pulled out her cracked communication device. "Those Huntsmen were a hassle."

"Well, what did you expect? We went against four of them with only two of us. Sure, we're the strongest in the tribe, but we were already exhausted." Schwartz complained and took a seat on a nearby briefcase. It was perhaps the only moment of rest he'd had in a long while. For months bounty hunters and huntsmen had chased him and his tribe down. He'd lost count how many times the tribe was forced to relocate.

Throughout each move, they'd, unfortunately, lose some members here and there. Now, they were down to less than a dozen — the entire group held together by a thread. If they didn't gather enough money to escape from Anima, they'd soon find themselves captured or executed.

"I know, I know that it was foolish to split up and raid these caravans, but..." Bruna paused, struggling to find the right words to describe her desperation. As the leader of the Bruna Tribe, it was her responsibility to look after her members and keep them safe. The first few years of the tribe's creation saw nothing but infamy and fortune. However, with the constant blood feuds between other clans and battles against Huntsmen dwindled their numbers to a severe degree.

The fear of the potential collapse of her tribe never showed on her face, but rather in her erratic and desperate actions. Her time at the top had long passed. Or rather, it never began in the first place.

"Look, I'm not judging you too much, boss," Schwartz got up and placed a comforting hand on Bruna's shoulder. He never liked it when his leader showed weakness in front of him or anyone for that matter. He envisioned Bruna as the dominant, unstoppable force of nature that toppled anyone and anything that dared to stand in her way. "I can't imagine the pressure you must feel, trying to lead all of us the best you can, despite all that's happened. You're stronger than me. I would've given up a long time ago."

Bruna smirked from behind her mask. If there was anyone she could always trust to have her back, it was her right-hand man. The three years they worked together were perhaps one of the best times of their lives.

"We need to get stronger," Bruna lamented. The Wolf Faunus looked down at her palm and clutched her hand into a tight fist. 

"And we will if we keep fighting against Huntsmen," Schwartz concluded.

"No, we'll die out if we keep this up," Bruna corrected him, such was the fate of bandits. They lived savagely, and that's how they would die, squandering out in the wilderness. Unless they did something to change their unfortunate fates, it wasn't until a specific flyer caught the eyes of the woman did a plan pop up into her head.

She wandered over to the caravan and picked up a flyer that featured an advertisement for the illustrious Haven Academy. It was all coming together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. The perfect plan to ensure the survival of her bandit tribe. Her family.

"I've got it, Schwartz! I got it!" Bruna exclaimed.

"What's got you all excited?" Schwartz asked.

"I've got the perfect plan to keep us alive! Schwartz, you're going to attend Haven Academy!" 

"What are you talking about, boss?" Schwartz asked, internally wondering if his boss had suffered severe head trauma from that blow to the head earlier. What was she thinking? Who'd ever heard of a bandit trying to attend an academy for Huntsmen?

"What better way to grow stronger than by learning how to kill Huntsmen from Huntsmen themselves?" Bruna tapped the side of her head with a wide grin on her face. It was genius! Schwartz would infiltrate the school for the next four years, learn the proper training regimen and skills from professional Huntsmen, and then pass on that knowledge to the tribe. With every member of the tribe having the power to take down Huntsmen, no one would be able to stop them in the future.

"I don't like that idea, boss. It's too risky," Schwartz nervously rubbed the back of his neck. Sure, the plan sounded good on paper. But out loud, it was a suicide mission. One slip up, and Schwartz would find his head on the chopping block. It was too risky of a move to make, especially in their dire state.

"Look at us, Schwartz, is this where you planned to be when you first joined the tribe? Scavenging out in some muddy and murky forest? Attacking and killing Huntsmen for the bare necessities?" Bruna indicated to the caravan.

"No, can't say that I did. But, I'd be dead a long time ago if not for you." He mentioned. While it pleased the Faunus to hear those words, nonetheless, she wasn't convinced.

"If this keeps up, we'll all die sooner or later. We killed Huntsmen today, Schwartz. Soon enough, the council will fund a subjugation force and have us wiped out." Bruna figured although it was a bit of an exaggeration on her part. The tribe wasn't nearly as infamous as it was in the past. The main reason they stayed under the radar for so long was the fact that most people considered the tribe disbanded.

"Oh? All for little ol' us?" Schwartz laughed off the woman's warning, seeing the possibility as more of an opportunity than a threat. The Huntsman from earlier wasn't much of a challenge. If the council considered guys like him full-fledged Huntsmen, then the people of Mistral had to get their shit together.

"This isn't a game, Schwartz. I'm serious," Bruna removed her mask, breaking her own rule. That action alone knocked the smirk from Schwartz's face. "We survived today, and maybe we'll survive tomorrow. But, if we keep going like this, we won't live much longer."

"That's why we should hurry and get to Vacuo or Vale. We can hide out there and make new lives for ourselves. That should be the plan, not this Haven Academy nonsense." Schwartz questioned his leader, wondering what brought on the sudden burst of rejection from her. He'd never seen her like that before, and it scared him deep down.

"The only one that needs to run is me," Bruna admitted it. She knew for a long time that she was the only target the authorities were after. "I stay under the radar for the next few years until you graduate."

"Quit talking like that, Bruna. C'mon, let's get the supplies and return to camp. We need to get you some rest." Schwartz offered.

"Please, Schwartz. Attend Haven Academy and become a Huntsman." She ordered.

"What?! Why would I want to do that?!"

"You're strong, Schwartz. You already outclass most Huntsmen, I know. Imagine how much stronger you'd become if you received a formal education."

"Start making some God damn sense, Bruna! Why spring this on me now?" Schwartz demanded answers. Nothing about the situation made sense to him. Sure, the tribe had gone through rough patches here and there, but they still had a chance to make it out. He believed that. He wanted his leader to understand that.

"Because we're at the end of our rope. We're barely clinging on to a hopeless idea of freedom. If we don't get stronger, we'll get wiped out. Do you understand?" Bruna shoved the Haven Academy flyer on Schwartz's chest. "Please, go to school and become a Huntsmen. You'll thank me for this one day."

"How the hell do you plan to get me in the school in the first place? I don't exactly have any records or anything like that," Schwartz mentioned. Hell, he didn't plan to go through with the ridiculous plan in the first place. It was a stupid plan. One that he foresaw backfiring on the first day.

"Don't underestimate my connections, Schwartz." Bruna smiled. "I know of a few spiders that would be more than willing to help."

"This is crazy." Schwartz shook his head. "What are you going to do?"

"Pay an old friend a visit and see what happens from there," Bruna answered. And without another word, the two collected the supplies from the caravan and wandered off in silence, mulling over the decisions the two made that would alter the course of their lives forever.


	6. Welcome to Haven Academny!

Days passed since the former bandit, Schwartz der Hund, made the drastic decision to leave his bandit camp behind and attend Haven Academy. Years of comradery and hard work left behind in the dust of the past. Well, it wasn't like he wasn't used to situations like that. Sometimes it was challenging to find a secure place to live and settle down in the world of Remnant. The more he thought about it, the more he hated that godforsaken bandit camp.

It was filthy.

No matter how much he cleaned up around the place, his comrades would find a way to mess it all up in a matter of seconds. Good riddance. His so-called comrades didn't even give him a pleasant farewell: mainly middle fingers, harsh swears, and lots of trash thrown at him.

Bastards.

Schwartz understood he wasn't well-liked in the camp. That was understandable since he was practically second in command despite having been picked up by the tribe. However, that still was no way to treat someone that decided to risk their lives for the better of the tribe.

He'd show them someday. They'd regret ever treating him like shit.

"Hey, look! It's Mistral!" A high-pitched voice carried throughout the Airship. Dozens of students gathered around the windows, watching as they passed over the mountains into the beautiful city of Mistral. Various buildings covered the summits of the mountains and stretched down to the foothills. Located at the very top of the city was Schwartz's destination, Haven Academy.

_"Lowell has some serious connections to get me in this place. I underestimated her." Schwartz thought as he gazed upon the serene landscape. Only a rare few times in his life had he come across such a spectacular sight._

The Airship soon landed in the courtyard of the academy. Most of the students rushed out of the vehicle, wanting to explore the new area. Schwartz, however, didn't seem all too eager. Sure, he was just as interested in exploring the academy as much as anyone else. But, he had to keep his composure and wits about him.

He was in the heart of the enemy territory.

One mistake could cost him his life.

He collected himself and stepped out onto the courtyard. The place was massive. All the students that managed to crowd an entire Airship now had the space to walk around freely and converse with their potential classmates. While most of them stopped and took the time to have an idle chit-chat, Schwartz slipped his hands into his pockets and continued toward the main building.

The further he traversed through the courtyard, the further his interest in the Academy plummeted. Sure, the place looked grand on the outside. However, the students attending the school didn't quite match up to what the young man imagined. Throughout his time in Mistral, he had heard stories about Haven Academy. About how it was so great and that it gave birth to legendary Huntsmen and Huntresses throughout the history of Remnant. He never believed in half the stories he had heard about the place.

The students certainly didn't help its image. None of them seemed to be much of a threat. Then again, they were just freshmen. Over time, it'd be possible for them to grow in strength and reach his level of skill and ability. But that was the problem. 

Time.

It waited for no one.

As he passed the students, he listed off their flaws. Hardly anyone in the vicinity even bothered to wear any armor. Only clothes they believed to be stylish or fashionable. How stupid were they? What was the point of coming to a school training people to fight monsters if no one was going to take it seriously? Was it ignorance? Arrogance? Either way, Schwartz deemed those people as Grimm food.

_"Idiots. All of them. They'd be dead in a week if they were in the tribe. They're all so vulnerable and unprepared. Not even aware of their surroundings..."_

Schwartz was violently knocked to the ground once someone ran into him from behind, breaking his concentration. He groaned in pain and opened his eyes to find the culprit. The first thing that caught his attention was a tail, leading up to the person it belonged to.

“A Faunus?” Schwartz sat up then frowned at the blonde-haired idiot that ran into him. 

“Whoa. Not cool dude,” A blue-haired student in a red jacket walked up to the two, “You should watch where you’re going when you run off like that.”

The blonde-haired Monkey Faunus straightened himself up, laughing whole-heartedly before he responded, “My bad. I got a bit too excited. You okay, buddy?”

“I’m fine. Just watch where you’re going next time.” Schwartz stood up and dusted himself off. And with that, he wandered off, not wanting to stick with the two strangers for too long. _“Great, now I'm filthy. Wonder where I can find the nearest shower. I can already tell this is going to be a long and troublesome day.”_

Making sure to avoid any further collisions, Schwartz made it to the entrance of the academy. However, he couldn't enter, for a single person stood in front of the doorway. It was Watchet Amin. The young man was covered in dirt, mud, leaves, and god knows what else. Schwartz grimaced at the sight of the student.

Other students walked around Watchet like it was no big deal, merely brushing off the leaves and dirt that got on them. But, it was impossible for Schwartz. The black-haired young man stood utterly still, trying to formulate a plan to get around the filthy student without getting dirty himself.

The first plan was to use his semblance. But, he couldn't afford to reveal his trump card so quickly. Not with so many witnesses in the way.

"What's with this guy?" One of the students muttered. He walked around and stood in front of Watchet. "Guys, this dude's asleep." He waved his hand in front of the student's face.

"No way." More students gathered around the sleeping student, thus further blocking the entrance. A few of them stood around him, taking pictures with their scrolls and laughing. But their fun time came to a close, and they continued with their day.

Unfortunately, Schwartz couldn't quite do that yet. Watchet remained there, undisturbed by everything that went on around him. Left with no other option, Schwartz removed some of the bells from around his waist. He brought them up to the person's ear and shook them.

"Hey! Hey! Buddy! Wake up!" Schwartz demanded.

His plan worked. Watchet woke up, albeit startled. He sharply turned around, throwing off some of the leaves and mud around on the other students that passed by. The young man stared at Schwartz from behind the safety of his shaded glasses. 

"Ah, forgive me. I must've fallen asleep." Watchet sheepishly stated. "Thank you for waking me up. The chimes of your bells were quite soothing." 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Schwartz placed the bells back on his waist. "Can you move? You're blocking the entrance."

"Am I?" Watchet looked around and noticed the students walking around him. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to block the entrance! Or fall asleep for that matter!"

"What kind of person falls asleep standing up? Especially when covered in mud and leaves?" 

"I'm just very exhausted. I traveled very far to get here and haven't had the time to sleep properly."

"Or bathe."

"Yes."

"Well, it was nice meeting you..."

"Amin. Watchet Amin." Watchet introduced himself with a polite bow of his head. 

"Great...well, see ya..." Schwartz tried to maneuver around Watchet. But, the young man moved in the way.

"Tell me, are you excited as I am to be here finally?" Watchet leaned in exceptionally close with a bright smile, forcing Schwartz to back up awkwardly.

Schwartz stammered and shifted his eyes from left to right, unsure of what the man before him had referred to. “I don’t…what?”

“You’re now a student of Haven Academy. Aren’t you excited to be here?”

“Oh, right. Yeah, I am.” Schwartz straightened himself after Watchet backed off.

The smile on Watchet’s face disappeared almost immediately. “Ah, what a shame. You do not feel the same as I do. Why is that,” He placed his arms behind his back then slowly walked in circles around Schwartz, “I for one, am ecstatic about being allowed to become a full-fledged Huntsmen. I am going to train hard and become an unstoppable protector of humanity.”

Schwartz just stood there, staring blankly as Watchet continued to ramble on about his dreams and aspirations. Soon enough, the young man's words fell on deaf ears. If this was some torture, it was undoubtedly working. When Watchet circled him again, Schwartz took off through the doors, escaping from the lunatic. Since he was too upset to pay attention to the signs leading him to his destination, he found himself aimlessly wandering the halls. It annoyed him, but he figured that being lost was better than being stuck with Watchet again.

The man’s constant praise of Huntsmen irritated him greatly. Schwartz never thought much of Huntsmen. Granted, the ones he had come cross had fallen to the point of becoming thieves, assassins, and whatnot. He didn’t blame them, however.

Life was harsh.

Not everyone got the chance to have a happy ending.

It was no one’s fault. That’s just how the world worked.

As Schwartz turned the corner, he yet again collided with someone. He remained on his feet. However, the other person wasn’t so lucky. She fell backward and landed on her ass, groaning in pain afterward.

“I’m getting tired of this shit…” Schwartz complained to himself, wondering why his luck had been so bad today.

“Hey! Asshole! How about you watch where you’re going, huh?!” Rowan stood to her feet, glaring daggers at Schwartz. However, it proved to be ineffective considering their difference in size. “Not only is it rude to not watch where you’re going. But, it’s even ruder not to offer any assistance to the person you knock over!”

“Right, because calling someone an asshole isn’t rude?” Schwartz tilted his head to the side. He lowered his arm down to his leather kidney belt, flicking the bells with a coy smirk. “You trying to tell me that you didn’t hear the bells closing in on you from around the corner?”

“I was busy. So, no, I didn’t.” Rowan crossed her arms underneath her chest. Her glare never subsided.

"Then, I don't see how any of this is my fault." Schwartz shrugged his shoulders and tried to walk around the young woman. But, the girl moved in her way. _"This shit again?!" _

"Apologize," demanded Rowan as she moved her hands to her hips. 

"What?"

"Apologize, you prick! When you knock a young maiden on the floor, you apologize!" The copper-haired girl stomped her foot on the floor. In the eyes of Schwartz, she seemed nothing more than a child throwing a temper tantrum. The girl's short stature and mannerisms didn't help.

_"This girl is gonna cause some trouble if I don't get outta here..." Schwartz desperately looked around for any method of escape that he could use._

"Maiden?" Schwartz rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of how to proceed with the situation. Apologizing would've been the most natural choice. However, his pride was at stake. He hadn't done anything wrong. And he sure as hell refused to lower himself to apologizing to some bitch.

"I smell death..." A hoarse voice came from down the hall. Schwartz and Rowan tensed up, instinctively moving their hands to their weapons. Against their better judgment, they peered their heads around the corner, watching a silver-haired beauty clad in black approaching them. 

Several red flags flew up in Schwartz's mind. 

The mysterious woman smelled death on him? Impossible. He made sure to shower several times when he killed Pewter days ago. Or perhaps, the woman smelled death metaphorically. No. How was that even possible?

His mind was in shambles. 

Had his cover been blown in the short amount of time he spent inside the school? What was going to happen to him now that it happened?

"Death?" Rowan tilted her head to the side.

"She must be talking about you," Schwartz nudged Rowan with his elbow.

"Me?! No way!"

The silver-haired woman stopped in front of the two. She brought her hand up to her nose and pinched it closed. "It reeks. The smell of death lingers in this entire school."

"It's a Huntsman Academy. Surely, everyone here has killed at least a few Grimm." Schwartz assumed, trying to stir the conversation in another direction. Perhaps his cover hadn't been blown after all. 

"Hmph, the Grimm are nothing to this Empress of Darkness, Zorina Teufel!" Zorina struck a dramatic pose, further confusing Schwartz and Rowan. Any tension they felt from the mysterious girl had immediately vanished. 

"Empress of Darkness?" Rowan sweatdropped. 

"Yes, mere mortal! I, Zorina Teufel, am the Empress of Darkness! The one that rules over the realms of Darkness!" Zorina continued to boast about her title.

_"This girl's either insane or stupid." Both Schwartz and Rowan thought in unison._

"I have decided to grace this school with my supreme presence! Fear not! My powers have been suppressed with my mighty limiter!" Zorina indicated to her eye-patch. "Should this be removed, my power will be unleashed and consume this entire world in darkness!"

"That right?" Schwartz nodded, having lost immediate interest in the girl and her ramblings. At that point, he wanted to run for his life and leave the area. The people he encountered in the school were annoying and troublesome. The last thing he wanted to do was spend any further time with them.

A plan formulated in his mind. He had a slight understanding of Zorina's delusional personality. He wanted to see just how far the girl was willing to go to keep up with her persona. 

The black-haired man smirked as he reached out and grabbed Zorina's eye-patch, snatching it right off her face. Zorina shrieked in concealed her eye in a panic. She staggered back and exclaimed,

"Agh! My eye! My eye! You fool! I can feel it! My power is rising! Overflowing!"

"W-What?! What's going on?!" Rowan panicked.

"Oh man, it seems like she's in pain! Don't worry; I'll go get a nurse or something!" Schwartz dropped the eye-patch and took off down the hall, kissing those annoying women goodbye. 

"H-Hey! Get back here! What am I supposed to do with this?!" Rowan indicated to the screaming Zorina. But, her words fell on deaf ears. Schwartz was long gone. He had no intention of going back to them. The people he encountered in Haven so far were nothing but trouble. Trouble that he didn't want to get involved in. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to come across those people ever again.


	7. Keep It Together!

_"Thank god, I think I'm finally free from all those weirdos. This school is fucking full of them," Schwartz inwardly complained as he wandered through the halls of Haven Academy. His first hour in the institute and he already wanted to leave. If Schwartz returned to his tribe so soon, he figured that his comrades would laugh and mock him. Hell, he wouldn't be surprised if they made a pool concerning how long it would take for him to return. Bastards._

The black-haired man continued down the hall until he reached the Grand Hall, a spacious area with a statue of a woman holding up the platform of the upper deck. Quickly over three dozen students gathered in that area. The only place left with any noticeable elbow room was in the far back, which Schwartz didn't mind occupying. It was his first day there, after all. He didn't want to catch anyone's attention yet.

He maneuvered through the crowd and took refuge in the back. He leaned against a pillar and faced toward the front like the other students. A bearded man in a mantle stood at the head of the stairs, holding onto a microphone. Schwartz immediately figured the man to be the Headmaster. The man had a look of complete authority.

That was until the man opened his mouth.

"Um...excuse me, students..." The bearded man called out to the chattering students. No one acknowledged the man. Not a single one of them paid him any mind. They continued to speak among themselves as if the man never existed.

_"Must be some boring teacher," Schwartz concluded, dismissing the authority of the man entirely. It was always a problem of his, judging others by appearances. Lowell warned him about that several times in the past. Appearances never mattered as much as skill and talent. Schwartz figured the man had some ability, at least for being an instructor at Haven._

"Please, students, settle down." The bearded man pleaded. But, the students continued to ignore him.

Schwartz had half a mind to leave the Grand Hall. He didn't want to waste time with than he already had throughout the day. Just when he leaned off the pillar to go, he spotted a lone woman with short, swept-back brown hair walking up the stairs toward the bearded man. She wore a brown jacket with red-feathered trims, under that was an armored corset with noticeable wing designs. 

The woman approached the bearded man and took the microphone from him. She cleared her throat and shouted, "SHUT THE HELL UP YOU BRATS!!!"

An ear-piercing, perhaps deafening screech. The entire grand hall shook from the volume of the woman's voice. Pillars cracked, windows shattered, nearly all the students dropped to their knees, succumbing to the intense pain of shattered eardrums. When everything fell silent, the woman lowered the microphone and smiled, satisfied with the result of her tactic.

The brown-haired woman turned to the bearded man, who had also fallen victim to the sudden sonic boom, and handed him the microphone.

"They're all yours, Headmaster." 

"What?!" The Headmaster exclaimed, removing his hands from his bleeding ears.

"Good luck." The woman quickly returned to the ground floor, mischievously grinning at how the rest of the presentation would go. 

The Headmaster regained his composure and spoke into the microphone when all eyes turned to him, "Ummm, thank you for that...interesting attention grabber, Lilith. Anyway, my name is Leonardo Lionheart. I am the Headmaster of this prestigious Academy."

_"The hell is he saying?!" Schwartz cleaned the blood out of his ears using the sleeve of his shirt. He smacked his lips at the sight of the bloodstains, knowing those would be difficult to get out. Even though the bleeding had stopped, the ringing in his ears never did. He stood there, dumbfounded and confused as to how the Headmaster continued to speak. By the time his hearing finally returned to him, the speech had concluded. _

All the students awkwardly clapped their hands, knowing that a vast majority of them hadn’t heard a single thing the Headmaster had said. Nonetheless, the students were then given a grand tour of Haven Academy. They split off into several groups, following after the numerous teachers of their choosing. Schwartz decided to follow Lilith, the woman that nearly caused him to go deaf.

He didn't know why. 

Perhaps he was a glutton for punishment. That's what Bruna often told him.

He followed in the far back of the group, tuning in and out as Lilith gave a brief history of the Academy and the areas they visited. His focus returned when he collided into a wall and fell right on his ass. Those that witnessed the event pointed and laughed at him. Schwartz groaned and rubbed his face, glaring at the wall. 

No. It wasn't a wall. 

It was a person. A large person. Tall and imposing, athletically built, clad in armor. The man might as well be a wall as far as Schwartz was concerned. The man turned around and stared at Schwartz. He leaned over and offered his hand.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going," The student apologized. Schwartz hesitated but eventually took the hand. The man pulled him up to his feet so quickly, as if Schwartz were made of paper.

"Don't worry about it. It's no big deal." Schwartz immediately dismissed the situation, taking a mental note about how he once again bumped into a person in the school. "I just hope I didn't hurt you."

"Not at all. I didn't feel a thing." The student laughed, not picking up on Schwartz's sarcasm. "I'm Sunil Ambrus."

"Schwartz der Hund."

"Nice to meet you, Schwartz." Sunil nodded his head and smiled. His eyes flickered over to the group of students that moved further down the hall, following after the instructor. "We should keep moving. Don't want to get left behind."

"Sure." Schwartz slipped his hands into his pockets and walked alongside Sunil, following after the rest of the students.

"Surprised, you decided to follow Lilith for the tour," Sunil noted.

"Woman damn near shattered my eardrums. I think I still hear a faint ringing." Schwartz complained.

"I heard from our upperclassmen that woman has a semblance that lets her emit high-frequency screams," Sunil revealed. "It would be best not to get her angry. The number of students that have lost their hearing because of her is over the dozens." 

"I'll be sure to be careful." Schwartz nodded. 

"You two!" Schwartz and Sunil tensed up the moment Lilith called out to them. "Shut the hell up! I'm trying to give a tour!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Schwartz and Sunil immediately obeyed and kept quiet for the rest of the tour. Eventually, all the first-year students were led to their sleeping quarters for the day—the auditorium — rows of sleeping bags laid out for the students. One by one, the students clamored to find suitable sleeping bags for themselves and their friends.

Like before, Schwartz kept to the back of the room, waiting for most of the rowdy people to collect their sleeping bags first. He didn’t want to start an unnecessary fight, not on the first day anyway. When things began to calm down, he spotted an unclaimed sleeping bag and approached it. He grabbed one end and pulled it towards him.

However, there was resistance.

He looked up and frowned at the sight of another pair of hands gripped tightly to the other end of the sleeping back. The situation he desperately tried to avoid wound up hitting him like a ton of bricks. He heaved a sigh at the sight of the owner the hands belonged to. It was none other than Rowan, the girl he met earlier in the day.

She didn’t seem happy to see him either.

“You!” Rowan pointed at him with a fierce scowl. “I’ve been looking for you!”

“Really? Can’t say that I have.” Schwartz rolled his eyes, mentally slapping himself for getting involved with that woman again.

“You left me alone with that lunatic earlier! Do you understand how much trouble that caused me?! It took me forever to diffuse that girl’s situation!” Rowan continued to complain, capturing the attention of anyone within earshot. Other students subtly gathered around the two as the copper-haired woman continued to chew out Schwartz. “You owe me an apology now!”

“What’s with you and apologies? Nothing that happened to you was my fault, you know? Quit blaming shit on me.” Schwartz demanded.

“You’re the one that bumped into me in the hallway earlier, and you’re the one that removed that girl’s eye-patch, causing her to spaz out.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Schwartz released his hold on the sleeping bag, hoping that would diffuse the situation he found himself in. By no means did he plan to apologize to Rowan. Not in the slightest. “Take that sleeping bag and leave me alone, midget."

"Midget?!" Rowan exclaimed. 

"Quiet down," A curt tone reached the ears of Schwartz and Rowan. Numerous eyes moved to a single student that approached the group. The student was a tall male with short, spiky white hair and golden eyes. On the sides of his face were tattoos that resembled tiger stripes. Flowing in a seamless motion behind him was a long, white tail with black stripes. "You're causing a ruckus for others around you. Show decency. Leave and take your quarrel outside."

Veins immediately protruded on the foreheads of Schwartz and Rowan. They didn't know who the guy thought he was, but he certainly made a mistake in thinking he could come up to them and order them around. Schwartz's first instinct was to cut the man's head clean off his shoulders, while Rowan considered only humiliating the man.

"Who the hell are you?" Schwartz demanded. He rested his arm on the hilt of his sword. He didn't plan on using it. It was merely a scare tactic. Perhaps if he exuded enough pressure, everyone would back away from him. At times it would work on the lesser members of his tribe.

"Wei Tian." Wei properly introduced himself. He placed his hand on his chest and politely bowed to Schwartz. Although his mannerisms were polite, the fierce look in the man's eyes certainly wasn't. Schwartz felt it. A killing intent. It paled in comparison to Bruna's, but it was there. "Like you, I am a first-year student here. Now that introductions are out of the way, please refrain from causing a scene here. Others are trying to sleep."

Rowan looked around and took immediate notice of the students already packed away in their sleeping bags. However, most of them were wide awake, staring at the situation before them. 

"Doesn't look that way to me," Rowan returned her gaze to Wei. 

"Your incessant yelling is preventing others from sleeping. So, take your argument outside." Wei demanded, his tone grew harsher. 

"And if I don't feel like it?" Schwartz countered as he gripped the handle of his sword. At that moment, he honestly considered fighting the man right then and there. Who did that white-haired bastard think he was, telling Schwartz what to do? Although he wished to avoid fighting on the first day of school, he refused to let others talk down to him. 

"Then, I will have to throw you out," Wei answered, slipping his hands into his pockets. The two engaged in a staredown, nearly suffocating the spectators with the immense pressure that emitted from their bodies. At any moment, any slight movement, a fight would occur.

"Please, no fighting." Sunil approached the group and stepped between Wei and Schwartz. "We're all just tired and need some rest."

"That is what I suggested in the beginning," Wei removed his hands from his pockets. "That one over there is the one that refused to end things peacefully." He pointed at Schwartz.

"You got five seconds to stop pointing at me. If not, you can say goodbye to your finger." Schwartz warned. The fact that he was getting pointed at didn't bother him that much. It was Wei's eyes. Nothing but malice existed behind those eyes. 

Sensing the intense atmosphere brewing in the area, Rowan sighed and decided to leave things as they were. Her involvement in the situation wouldn't end well in her favor. So, she took her sleeping bag and left. Meanwhile, the other students watched in anticipation of the upcoming battle. Wei and Schwartz refused to back down.

Just when Schwartz prepared to unsheath his sword, he felt a firm hand grip on his shoulder. He grimaced in pain and quickly looked over his shoulder, spotting none other than Lilith. The woman glared daggers at him. 

"Brandishing your weapon within the school is forbidden," Lilith warned Schwartz. Her deathly glare caused his blood to freeze.

"I wasn't going to attack him," Schwartz nervously responded. "I just wanted to show him how cool my weapons are."

"That right?" Lilith slowly eased up on the young man's shoulder. Schwartz backed away from the woman, returning her glare. "I'll let this go only once. Try something like that again, and I'll punish you myself."

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind..." Schwartz turned his head and glared at Wei. "I'll see you later."

"I would not recommend it," Wei replied. One by one, everyone separated across the auditorium, finding their spots to sleep for the night. 


	8. Into The Forest!

The first night passed without any further incident. All the first-year students slept peacefully in the auditorium until morning. The large, double doors to the room swung open and entered Lilith, one of the instructors to Haven Academy. She walked through the room with a confident stride, mentally noting the condition of the students. Only a small number of them were already awake and prepared for the day, while others remained comfortably in their sleep bags and apparel. When the woman reached the center of the room, she deeply inhaled then exhaled. Afterward, she shouted at the top of her lungs, alarming the entire school.

Eardrums, as well as glass shattered from the frequency of her piercing screech. Lilith settled down and smirked at the sight of the first-year students standing before her, less than pleased with her awakening tactics. Fortunately for them, the instructor held back the output of her voice, so their hearing wasn't affected too much.

"Good morning, students. Time to wake up," Lilith shared a warm smile with the students. None of them appeared too thrilled about their rude awakening. Groans and whispers of contempt spread across the room. However, the instructor remained oblivious and continued, "You all have two hours to prepare yourselves for a special activity the Headmaster has planned for you later. Get washed up and eat well. We will all meet up in the courtyard later."

With nothing else on her agenda, Lilith waved the students goodbye and wandered off. Begrudgingly, the students gathered their things and headed for the locker rooms.

Schwartz leisurely lagged behind the other students, making sure not to draw attention to himself. That was one of the leading orders given to him by Lowell. He had to remain inconspicuous throughout his school year unless an event that required him to fight was concerned. A well-known trait of his was that he loved to show off all the time. It didn't matter the situation. If Schwartz felt that he was better at something than others, he'd go to great lengths to prove it.

He believed that as long as he stayed patient, an opportunity to fight would present itself. That moment nearly came when Wei Tian appeared last night. Schwartz couldn't put his finger on it, but something about the Tiger Faunus didn't sit well with him. The way he carried himself with such feigned ignorance and limitless arrogance irked him beyond belief. If anyone needed a reality check, it was Wei. 

When the students reached the locker rooms, Schwartz kept an eye out for the Faunus. It was a small window of opportunity, but he wanted to knock the bastard down a peg. His wicked thoughts faded when he felt a hand on his shoulder. The black-haired man whipped around like a tornado and immediately reached for his swords. But, he stopped when he spotted a familiar face.

"Hello. Nice to meet you again," Watchet flashed his fellow student a warm smile. If not for his shades, Schwartz believed the young man's eyes would've been just as bright. 

"Huh? Oh...yeah..." Schwartz's eyes continued to wander around the locker room for any sign of Wei. 

"So, are you excited about our activity today?" Watchet stepped closer and brought his face concerningly close to Schwartz's.

"Activity?" Schwartz immediately took a step back. 

"Yes, today is the day where the first-year students will get placed into four-man teams," Watchet revealed, raising his hand and showing four fingers for emphasis. "I am very excited. I wonder what kind of people my teammates will be."

"I'm sure they'll be lovely," Schwartz half-heartedly replied. As Watchet continued to ramble on, Schwartz's mind wandered elsewhere. Working with a team was one of Schwartz's most difficult setbacks. He never worked well with others and preferred to be the lone wolf. That's why he lamented having to be teamed up with a bunch of nobodies from the school. By the time he snapped back into reality, he had found that Watchet had yet to leave. "Hey, listen, buddy, I'm kinda in a hurry right now. So, could we take a raincheck on this conversation?"

"Hm? Sure. I will see you later." Watchet nodded and wandered off. Schwartz sighed and continued his search throughout the locker room for Wei.

Meanwhile, Rowan sat alone on a bench, eating breakfast prepared by the school staff in the courtyard. The fresh, refreshing breeze combined with the sweet taste of her food brought a smile of satisfaction to her often stoic face. She'd only been at Haven Academy for a single day, and it was just at that moment that she felt any peace. Her psychological need to look over her shoulder every five seconds diminished in that short period. 

Outside of the kingdoms, that kind of behavior would get her killed in an instant. Life was cruel, and she was used to it. However, that didn't mean she wouldn't stop and try to enjoy moments of leisure whenever she found the chance. After all, she didn't know how long her times of peace would last. Eventually, she'd have to leave Haven Academy and move on with her life.

"Enjoying yourself?" Mari Gould's voice emitted from the earbud in Rowan's ear. And like that, Rowan's moment of peace shattered.

The young woman sighed and lowered her plate of breakfast to her lap. "I was..." She complained.

"It's rare for you to eat out in the open like that," Mari mentioned.

"Haven Academy is safe. You said that yourself. I don't need to worry about anything right now." Rowan defended her actions. "Any news on Roan?"

"Nothing as of yet. He's probably gone dark now that the Mistral Police are hunting him down. He'll be on the run for quite some time." Mari revealed.

Rowan smiled and ate another piece of her breakfast. She loved it when a plan came together. Her ex-partner in crime would remain on the run while she leisurely spent her days at school. It was odd how the turn of events transpired, but she wasn't complaining.

"That's fine by me. I'll make sure to keep my head down until he's either captured or gone. I don't want to come across him ever again," Rowan stated.

"This wouldn't have been a problem if you had killed him back in Vacuo," Mari said. Rowan's eye twitched at the thought of the memory. 

"For the last time, Mari, I don't kill people. I con people and rob them. I won't resort to murder." Rowan said. 

"Alright, alright," Mari sighed, knowing Rowan wouldn't budge on her ideals and convictions. "So, how are you enjoying your school days so far? Find any cute boys?"

Rowan set her empty plate in the trashcan next to her. "Quit screwing around, Mari."

"I'll take that as a no," Mari laughed. "Anyway, make sure to keep a low profile until I find a word about Duncan, alright? Have fun."

Rowan brushed her bangs behind her ear and stealthily removed the earbud in a well-practiced motion. She doubted that anyone was watching her. But, it never hurt to be careful, especially in her line of business. The young woman continued to sit around on the bench in complete silence, taking in further moments of peace. 

That was until she heard rustling in the tree above her. She quickly opened her eyes and raised her head. Out from the tree fell a familiar figure in black. The figure hit the ground with a hard thud. Against her better judgment, Rowan turned and checked on the person. She stared at the motionless person with wide eyes.

Beautiful face with an eye concealed with an eyepatch, long, silver hair, all black clothing--those very features spread dread through Rowan's body. She remembered all too well who that person was and how much trouble they caused her the other day along with that black-haired, bell carrying fellow. 

The thought to merely ditch the downed girl crossed her mind numerous times. She didn't see anyone else in the area. Rowan thought that she could leave and let the girl become someone else's problem.

"Are...are you okay?" Rowan reluctantly asked, knowing she'd come to regret her decision. She moved around the bench and grabbed a nearby twig. She extended her arm out and poked the motionless girl. 

The girl's eyes snapped open, and she sat up. "That was far too close! I, the Empress of Darkness, Zorina, nearly got lost in the unforgiving realm of darkness itself!" Her golden eyes soon focused on Rowan, much to the woman's chagrin. "You! You are the fortunate one that brought the Empress of Darkness to the realm of healing the other day!"

"Realm of healing? The infirmary?" Rowan assumed, having more than enough trouble deciphering the strange girl's cryptic manner of speech.

"Indeed," Zorina got to her feet and dusted herself off from the leaves and branches. "If not for you, the great me would have certainly unleashed a veil of darkness over the entire school."

"All because your eye-patch coming off, right?" 

The poor memory rushed back to Rowan's mind. Zorina caused a huge scene, screaming and crying about how her power was overflowing. Rowan brought the deluded girl to the infirmary and left her there for the nurses to deal with. She hoped that she'd never had to come across her again. But, of course, her luck wasn't all that great.

"Correct! This eye-patch of mine conceals a great force within me! Without it, all of Remnant would face a power far more powerful than the Grimm!" Zorina proclaimed. 

Offering no further words toward the maniac, Rowan turned and walked off in the opposite direction as fast as she could. There was only so much foolishness her tolerance would allow. If she didn't escape soon, she feared she'd do something drastic.

Unfortunately, Zorina followed her.

"So, are you prepared for today's rigorous trial?" The silver-haired woman asked.

"Trial?" Rowan asked and followed up with a roll of her eyes. The more time passed, the more she questioned why she even bothered responding.

"The great me has discovered that today, we shall form binding contracts with three other souls throughout our confinement here." 

"...I, I don't know what you're saying to me!" Rowan exclaimed.

"Fear not! The Empress of Darkness has more than enough influence to form the contract with you! You should be honored!" Zorina pointed at Rowan.

Before she could say any more, an announcement rang throughout the school from the intercoms. It ordered all first-year students to the courtyard. Rowan bolted toward the yard as fast as she could, ignoring the cries of Zorina as her voice disappeared into the distance. 

About a half-hour passed.

A massive crowd of first-year students gathered in the courtyard as instructed. Many airships landed nearby, with the school staff guiding the students to embark. Without complaint, the students complied with their instructions. The airships took off and flew out over the mountains. 

At the head of the leading ship stood Lilith. She grabbed a microphone and spoke, "Listen up, students!"

Immediately, all the students aboard that particular airship covered their ears, not wanting to suffer another blow to their delicate eardrums. 

"I'm sure you've all heard rumors about forming teams today. Well, you're correct. Every single one of you kids will have to learn to play nice with the others." The instructor flashed a taunting smile to the students. Her eyes soon rested on Schwartz, who kept himself at the back of the room. "I'll now explain the process of the team making. You'll all get dropped off in the forest within the mountains. Soon, I'll hand over one of two scrolls that you'll all need to complete the trial."

Lilith propped open a large chest next to her. Inside were numerous scrolls of two colors, blue and red. 

"The goal is to scavenge the forest and collect both scrolls from the other students around you and find an extraction point."

"Excuse me," Watchet raised his hand. "How do we determine who our partners are?"

"The first person you encounter in the forest will be your partner. Afterward, you'll find out who your other partners are at the end of the trial." Lilith answered. "Are there any more questions?"

Numerous students raised their hands. However, Lilith ignored them all. She pressed a button next to her and watched the magic happen. The floor beneath the students opened up, sending all of them plummeting into the thick forest below. Lilith kicked the chest and knocked all the scrolls into the woods as well.

"Good luck," The instructor smiled.


	9. First Pairing!

Parachute training into a forest was one of the last things any of the freshman students expected on their second day in Haven Academy. Except, there weren't any parachutes. The faculty leaders of the school legitimately dropped the unexpecting students from their air vehicles several hundreds of feet in the air. Human bodies and multi-colored scrolls rained down all over the mountain ranges. The sheer lack of remorse and irresponsibility shocked Schwartz to no end. Even as he plummeted toward the ground at high speed, he angrily looked up at the air vehicle he was previously carried in.

He could've sworn he spotted a devious smirk across the face of his instructor before the floor panels closed shut. Did she enjoy the situation? Dropping students to their untimely deaths? What kind of school did Schwartz enroll in? He thought the bandit tribe was terrible.

Regardless, Schwartz composed himself and assessed the situation. He mentally calculated the amount of time it'd take to hit the ground. It wasn't long. Many students flailed wildly about around him. He paid them no mind. He listed them off as dead already.

His eyes soon set on the number of scrolls that plummeted to the ground along with the students. It was just a thought. But, should he collect both colored scrolls and find an extraction point without making eye contact with anyone, would he be alone for the remaining four years?

He highly doubted that. But, the scenario was too tempting not to try out. 

The young man smirked and kicked off a screaming student beside him. He propelled across a distance and grabbed one of the scrolls. Afterward, he safely secured it within his kidney belt. 

One down. One more to go.

With that in mind, he prepared himself for a crash landing. He reached his arm out and grabbed hold of a sturdy tree branch. He used the moment of his fall and swung across to other trees, using them as stepping stones until he safely reached the ground. 

"Agh! Got leaves and scuff on my clothes!" Schwartz complained as he brushed himself as clean as possible with his hands. His eyes shifted around him when more students safely landed. He made sure not to make direct eye contact with anyone. Like hell, he wanted to get paired with a bunch of nobodies. 

Not wasting any time, he darted ahead deeper into the forest in search of the final scroll that he needed to pass the exam. He licked his lips and let out a haughty laugh. The anticipation got to his head. He didn't know what to expect in the test. 

He couldn't wait to find out.

His first call to action came in the sound of ear-piercing screams a few yards ahead. Schwartz set his eyes on a pack of Beowolves that surrounded wounded students. Blood dripped from their teeth and claws. While disgusted, he couldn't help but get excited at the same time.

Other than him, there was an even number of students, which meant he could cleanse the area of Grimm without having to worry about getting paired up with any of them. Schwartz unsheathed his sabers and rushed in.

He came up from behind the Grimm and slicked them to pieces. Dismembered parts of the creatures lay strewn around the area. The students looked on in amazement, mixed with horror. 

They glad that someone came along to save them. But, the young man's unsettling laughter after slaying the creatures unnerved them.

"You guys good?" Schwartz asked. When he received nods from the students, he sheathed his swords and kept forward. None of them had the scroll he wanted. So, he didn't see the point in sticking around.

Meanwhile, in a further section of the forest, Watchet landed safely atop one of the tallest trees in the area. He scouted his location in search of potential team members and scrolls. Unfortunately, the freshman was unable to obtain any during his descent into the forest.

However, he didn't let that discourage him. There was plenty of time for him to make up for his blunder. Several students caught his watchful eyes. None seemed unique to him, and no one carried any scrolls either. 

"This area is no good," Watchet noted. He put his finger in his mouth and held it up into the air. When he discerned the direction the wind blew, he hopped across the trees in search of a more fitting area.

Sounds of battle erupted around him. As Watchet continued to tree hop, he'd occasionally glance down and spot other students either fighting each other or creatures of Grimm. Not even ten minutes passed since the exam began, and everything already started to fall into chaos. Not wanting potential future Huntsmen to die during the test, Watchet grabbed his sword, stabbed it into a tree, and slid down to the ground.

No hesitation showed in his movements as he cut down several creatures of Grimm. Thankfully, they were mere Beowolves, one of the weakest of monsters. No effort went into his slaughter of the Grimm. 

He slid down a mountain slope and dropped down to a new area. It was more extensive than the previous one. Hardly any trees around. Mainly dirt and bushes. Out into the clearing came a large Ursa. 

It spotted Watchet, stood on its hind legs, and roared. 

"Have I wandered into your area?" Watchet politely inquired. Despite the danger, he approached the Grimm with a reassuring smile. "Sorry, but I am afraid that I must eliminate you."

The Ursa dropped on all fours and charged. Watchet's smile never faded as he jumped over the Grimm. The blade of his sword elongated and sliced the bear's back. It cried out in pain but continued to fight nonetheless. 

It raised its paw and slammed it downward. Watchet jumped back and avoided the strike. Debris and dust flew up into the air, creating a small cloud that the Huntsman used as a cover. When the Ursa lunged out from the dust cloud, Watchet already leaped into the air with his sword pointed at the beast.

It stretched out again and impaled the unsuspecting monster in the back, pinning it to the ground. Watchet returned the sword to its original length and beheaded the Ursa. 

The Huntsman slowly turned when more ferocious growls reached his ears. Beowolves, mixed with Ursa, surrounded the area. 

"Ah. This may be problematic," Watchet scratched his cheek. Their numbers exceeded his expectations in this part of the exam. He couldn't allow them to overwhelm him. The Huntsman turned and prepared for a speedy retreat.

However, he spotted a figure sliding down the slope with their weapons drawn. When the person reached the bottom of the hill, he recognized them immediately. It was one of the first few people he met upon entering the academy--Schwartz. 

The black-haired Huntsman smirked at the sight of the Grimm. Their numbers meant nothing to him. Because that's all, they were to him. He rushed ahead without a second thought and attacked the horde of Grimm.

Watchet stood still for a moment, dazed merely by the sight of the fearless young man. Despite the risks, the dangers, Schwartz continued to fight against the odds with a bright smile. Inspired by the heroics of his fellow Huntsman, Watchet joined in the battle and helped clear out the area.

Several minutes passed. By the time the battle ended, Schwartz and Watchet stood back to back with defeated creatures of Grimm evaporating into nothingness. Satisfied with their work, the Huntsmen sheathed their weapons.

"Thank you for the assistance," Watchet faced Schwartz and smiled.

"It was no--ah shit!" Schwartz exclaimed and pointed at Watchet in shock. His thirst for battle got the better of him and clouded his judgment. From afar, he only spotted the Grimm. He didn't even realize there was another person with him.

It only made matters worse when he looked at him. By the rules set out by the instructors, those two were now considered partners. Out of anyone, Schwartz could've gotten stuck with; Watchet was definitely at the bottom of the list. 

"It looks like you and I are partners," Watchet held his hand out for a handshake. A gesture that Schwartz felt reluctant to return. 

"I uh...got a thing about shaking hands," Schwartz said. "You wouldn't happen to have a scroll on you, would you?"

Watchet shook his head, bringing an immediate expression of gloom on Schwartz's face. Not only did he come across someone he wished to avoid, but now he had to stick around with him longer until they found the second scroll. If he were lucky, perhaps Watchet would get lost or die somewhere.

"Unfortunately, I was unable to acquire one. Fear not, however, I am sure that with our combined eyesight, we should be able to find one in no time." Watchet proclaimed. His optimism bounced off Schwartz's chest. The Huntsman couldn't spot a single good thing about the situation.

"Ah, okay." Schwartz folded his arms behind his head and sauntered off in a random direction. His enthusiasm throughout the entire thing had long vanished. He reached in his kidney belt and showed his new partner the blue scroll he grabbed. "Only got this one so far. We gotta grab the red one."

"We should tread further into the forest in the opposite direction," Watchet suggested. "The Grimm came from that way. It would be wise to avoid that path."

It already began. The two hadn't been teammates for even five minutes, and Schwartz already felt annoyed. Following orders and suggestions from people he didn't know or respect never sat well with him. His problems with authority caused many issues for Schwartz and those around him for most of his life. 

If the team were going to work out, then he'd have to be the one in charge — no one else.

"That way it is," Schwartz immediately headed in the direction Watchet advised again. Surprised by the sudden dismissal of his warning, Watchet reached out and grabbed Schwartz's shoulder. Schwartz sharply turned and slapped Watchet's hand away. "No touching!"

"I am sorry. But, you just ignored my warning," Watchet took a step back. "Why would you want to go down that path?"

"If we turn back, most if not all the scrolls will get scooped up by the other students. If we go down the path most will avoid, we have a better chance of finding the last scroll we need." Schwartz harshly answered.

Watchet placed his hand up to his chin and took a moment to weigh his options. Schwartz's logic wasn't necessarily flawed. If they went down the dangerous path, then their chances of finding the other scroll could increase. But that left a problem. If the Grimm swarmed them again, their chances of death also rose.

Sure, they handled the first horde efficiently. However, there wasn't a guarantee that would happen a second or third time. Was a little roll of paper worth risking their lives over?

"You gonna stand there all day? We're burning daylight," Schwartz complained. He didn't plan on standing around much longer. Whether Watchet went with him or not, it didn't matter. He already made up his mind about his path. 

"I cannot allow you to go alone. I shall accompany you, partner." Watchet smiled.

Schwartz cringed at the word. He wouldn't get used to being called that--not by him at least. Without another word, the two departed down the path with their weapons at the ready.

Elsewhere at an extraction point, multiple air vehicles landed in an open area, Grimm free. The instructors overseeing the exam disembarked from the parked vehicles and made a camp of sorts. Tables of food and tents spread out around the grounds. They made themselves right at home while their students ventured out into the dangers of the forest.

The head instructor, Lilith, took a seat and opened her scroll. Multiple screens showed her the progress of the students all around. Most were already paired up by that point; others weren't so fortunate. Thankfully, there weren't any recorded deaths.

For now.

Lilith wasn't a blind optimist. There was a substantial chance some of her students would die during the test — a shame, but not something that affected her too much. Death was inevitable as a Huntsmen.

If students during this test, then they wouldn't survive future trials of hers. 

The woman smiled and took a bite of a chunk of meat. "Alright, students, show me what you can do from here on out. It's only going to get harder."


	10. Second Pairing!

Falling from great heights wasn't something that Rowan expected to experience on her second day of Huntsmen training. Her previous, foolish dreams of becoming a Huntress as a child vanished in a flash the moment the faculty dropped unsuspecting students into the dangers of the forest. Thankfully, Rowan was one of the many students skilled enough to formulate a landing despite the severity of the situation. Her twin derringer pistols extended out from her sleeves into the safety of her hands. The barrels spun until the desired ammunition was selected.

Rowan licked her lips and aimed at the incoming trees. She pulled the triggers several times and fired her dust rounds, encasing her targets in ice. From there, the young woman braced herself and crashed through the icy branch's feet first, using them to soften the blow until her inevitable landing.

"Safe..." Rowan proclaimed more to herself rather than anyone else around. She reached down and picked up her hat, returning it to the top of her head before wandering off in a random direction. Fortunate enough for her, she didn't appear to land nearby any other students, which gave her some time to speak with a trusted friend of hers. "Mari? Do you copy?" She put her finger to the earbud.

"Yes! I copy! Where are you right now? Connection's terrible!" Mari complained.

Rowan cringed from the sound of constant static from the earbud. "Can you believe this? The bastards dropped us in the middle of the forest from the sky! No parachutes or anything!" The young woman went on a tangent, venting her justified frustrations to her partner on the other end. Rowan didn't expect to go through any near-death experiences until months into her training. 

If hiding out at Haven was going to be like that every day, then she'd instead take her chances elsewhere.

"Well, if you have enough time to complain, you must alright," Mari concluded, much to the irritation of Rowan. She planned to give her partner a piece of her mind if they ever met in person.

"Alright? Alright?! Take this seriously," Rowan exclaimed, "I could've died!"

"Could've..." Mari agreed. "Anyway, I'm piggybacking off the security cameras in the forest. There's so much footage to go through..."

"Have you spotted any areas where I could find both scrolls? I wanna get outta here as soon as possible."

"I've found several, but I still can't pinpoint your location right now. You're on your own at the moment,"

"Okay, I'll deal with this myself then." Rowan ended the conversation by removing her earbud. From that point, she was out on her own, wandering through the forest without a clue what to expect.

She looked off in the distance, having already spotted areas of combat further ahead. Black smoke rose into the sky, warning her not to proceed in that direction. She took the hint and headed elsewhere. Battle wasn't necessarily her strong suit. Therefore, she decided to take the high road.

Rowan leaped into the air and landed on a tree branch. From there, she jumped from tree limb to tree limb, hoping to avoid students and Grimm alike until she found both scrolls that she needed to complete the assignment. 

Unfortunately, life had other plans in mind. After she crossed quite the distance, Rowan encountered a swarm of Lancers. The moment the Grimm laid their eyes on her, they attacked. 

"Shit!" Rowan cursed as she jumped down to the ground, narrowly avoiding the bombardment of stingers the Grimm launched from their bodies. She looked over her shoulder and saw how easily the stringers tore through whatever material got in their way. Gruesome images flashed through her mind at the thought of those things going through her skin, which only fueled her desire to run away faster.

Thankfully, the mechanisms on her wrists ejected her twin Derringer Pistols in her hands, where she proceeded to fire away at the incoming Lancers. Sure, she took down a few. But, their numbers were too much. If not for the several trees she cut through to avoid impalement, she would've been dead long ago.

_"Damn it! I'm not dying here! Not now!" Rowan inwardly swore, preparing to use her semblance the moment she found an opportunity. _

She glanced over her shoulder again, spotting another stinger heading straight for her. Just when she prepared to activate her semblance, a firm hand pushed her aside.

Rowan hit the ground. Meanwhile, the one that pushed her away stood firm and defended her from the stinger. The downed woman looked up and saw the familiar, hulking figure of her fellow student, Sunil Ambrus. The large man held a massive shield in one hand and grabbed onto the Lancer's stinger with the other. 

With a mighty tug, he pulled the Lancer toward him, readying his shield to deliver the fatal blow. Once it was within his reach, he slammed it into the Grimm's body, destroying it instantly.

Rowan looked on in awe at the fantastic show of strength of the young man. 

"Can you stand?" Sunil asked, not looking away from the Lancers that swarmed around them. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," Rowan nodded and readied her pistols, "You should try being more gentle with ladies, y' know. I could've dodged that last stinger."

"I don't doubt that," Sunil agreed. "I just thought that we should've given you a hand."

"We?" Rowan arched her eyebrow. As if answering her question, several knives rained down from the treetops, impaling the Grimm. While the Lancers fell toward the ground, Sunil turned and covered Rowan, knowing precisely what to expect. Seconds later, the Grimm burst into flames, covering the area in a series of explosions.

When the smoke cleared, Sunil released Rowan from his tight grip and stepped away. The duo turned and witnessed the late Grimm fade away into nothingness.

"You're not hurt, are you?" Sunil inquired.

"I'm fine," Rowan answered, looking around for the source of the explosions. 

"Good. This would've been meaningless if you were harmed," Sunil smiled and looked up at the treetops. "Ilma! Do you see Grimm anymore?"

Rowan glanced upward, following the young man's line of sight. There, she spotted another student, leisurely lying on one of the tree branches. It was a young woman in a smoky grey coat with long, shaggy black hair that reached down to the back of her neck.

"Nah, I don't see anymore," Ilma lazily replied, following up with a long, drawn-out yawn. "You check and see if that girl has any scrolls on her?"

"I haven't," Sunil returned his gaze to Rowan.

"Ah, so that's why you saved me?" Rowan placed her hands on her hips. "You wanna extort me for my scrolls? Well, too bad. I don't have any."

"Waste of time," Ilma complained.

"No, I saved you because I didn't want you to die." Sunil shook his head, trying to cast aside Rowan's suspicions. "I couldn't sit back and have a future Huntress die. Humanity won't last if we keep losing good people."

"So you say," Rowan doubted every word that spewed from his mouth. Call her cynical, but she didn't believe in good people. There was no such thing.

"Where's your partner?" Sunil asked.

"Don't have one," answered Rowan as she turned heels and headed off in a random direction. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

"You're not going to wait for someone to come by? You're going to need a partner out there,"

"I'll be fine. I'm more than capable of holding my own out here,"

Ilma scoffed and looked down from her spot in the tree. "Yeah, sure, 'cause you had that Lancer situation handled."

Rowan's face turned bright red, knowing full well that Ilma's response wasn't entirely false. However, she refused to admit it to everyone outright.

"Fine, if you two wanna tag along until we complete this trial, I don't mind." She suggested, figuring that having those two follow her around wasn't too bad of an idea. If they stuck around and handled all the fighting, then she could collect the scrolls and quickly escape from there later on down the line.

"What do you say, Ilma?" Sunil asked.

"You guys go on ahead and do it without me," Another yawn leaked from Ilma's mouth. She smacked her lips and closed her eyes, making herself comfortable on the branch. "Wake me up when it's all over."

Rowan couldn't believe how brazen the girl could act in the situation. They were in a forest teeming with Grimm and other dangers, and yet Ilma didn't give two shits. Instead, the girl tried to sleep soundly on a tree branch.

Sunil shook his head. "Forgive her. It turns out she's quite lazy," The large man proceeded to toss his shield into the air. It spun rapidly and struck the branch Ilma used to support herself. Without it, the young girl was sent plummeting to the ground. Or, that would've been the case if Sunil hadn't caught her and his shield.

"Shall we go?" He asked.

"Damn it, Sunil! Let me go! Let me go! This is a waste of time!" Ilma complained, kicking and screaming her head off as the large man carried her off in a random direction. 

Rowan shook her head and reluctantly followed, knowing that she'd be somewhat safe with the duo.

Meanwhile, Zorina trekked through her area of the forest, her scythe drawn and kept close to her chest. It was safe to say that it was one of her first times out in the woods without any form of security. She was on her own, wandering through the unknown, far from the safety and comfort of her mansion walls.

Honestly, that aspect terrified her. The seventeen years she spent chained to her mansion by her mother was terrifying, but sometimes rewarding. At least there were places she could find to escape. In the forest, however, was a different story.

She didn't know what to expect from the location or terrain. It clicked in her mind that she needed to find a partner as soon as possible — someone big and reliable; someone that could watch her back.

"Oh man, w-where am I?" Zorina stuttered. The farther she wandered through the forest, the higher her anxiety rose. Why hadn't she found anyone? She could've sworn she saw other students fall in her direction.

Bushes rustled near her. Zorina shrieked and recklessly swung her sword around. What was in there? An enemy? What kind? A bandit? A Huntsmen? Grimm?

Out from the bushes came her answer in the form of a fellow student — a young woman with short black hair, wearing a purple-colored robe. Her arms adorned by protective vambraces in the style of spiked scales.

"Umm, excuse me? Are you okay?" The young woman asked. But, Zorina, who was far too busy screaming her head off, couldn't hear the man's query. The student stood there, flummoxed on how to deal with the situation. She couldn't exactly get close to the girl with her swinging her scythe around like a crazy person. 

The way she screamed also caused some concern. Grimm and other animals alike could hear and attract their attention, which was something the male student wished to avoid. 

Eventually, Zorina calmed herself down and lowered her weapon, taking a few deep breaths in the process. When the young woman's opportunity to speak again came, she took it.

"Got it all out of your system now?" She asked.

Zorina nodded her head and exhaled, "Yeah...sorry about that. I uh..." She paused, realizing that she broke character for a moment. To rectify that mistake, Zorina straightened her posture and posed, "I mean, of course, I'm alright! You should be grateful mortal, for you have just witnessed one of my most frightening techniques!"

"Ah..." A sound of complete disappointment leaked from the female student's mouth. She came across a weird one, that was for sure. Well, as long as the girl was okay, she was fine with moving along. "Well, since you're okay..."

She walked around the nutjob, trying to head deeper into the forest. However, Zorina blocked her path.

"W-Wait! Where are you going?!" She exclaimed. The female student was the first person she encountered in the forest. They made eye contact and everything. According to the rules, they were partners. "Aren't we partners now? We made eye contact."

"We did. But, I'm already partnered up with someone else." The girl revealed. 

"Who?" Zorina asked.

"Him," The student pointed over to her partner. Zorina's eyes darted in that direction and spotted the White Tiger Faunus, Wei Tian. He wasn't more than five feet away from the two, and yet Zorina hadn't noticed him until that moment. The young man's icy stare sent a shiver down her spine.

"Are you done messing around with that girl, Emma?" Wei asked. 

"Yeah, I think so," Emma nodded and wandered back over to her partner. "She looked scared, and I wanted to help her."

"What good did that get you? She doesn't even have a scroll," Wei pointed out. 

"It's not about personal gain; it's about doing the right thing." Emma countered.

"You're wasting time helping every little person you come across. Let's go," Wei demanded. He slipped his hands in his pockets and went in a random direction. 

"Wait up!" Emma called out to her partner, but Wei refused to listen. She shook her head and looked at Zorina, "Hey, you're more than welcome to follow us until another student shows up. It's not a good idea to hang around here alone."

"Hmph, solitude is something this Empress of Darkness prefers! I do not need more minions at the moment!" Zorina boasted.

"Don't be like that. Come on," Emma grabbed Zorina by the hand and led her after Wei. Despite the young woman's constant demands for release, they fell on deaf ears.

For the first few minutes together, Zorina made nothing but complaints about getting dragged around by Emma. But, one sharp glare from Wei kept her quiet for the most part. She couldn't describe the feeling she felt from the young Faunus' gaze.

But, she knew from the uncontrollable shaking of her body that she shouldn't mess with him. The only comfort she found in that situation was that Emma stood in front of her. If not for her, she wasn't sure how'd she deal with Wei.

"It's too quiet around here, Wei," Emma complained while the group continued to go through the forest. None of them could hear a single sound — no sounds of combat, the rustling of bushes, Grimm, nothing. 

Zorina also found it strange that she couldn't hear the wind. She felt it blow through the area, but it didn't make a single sound. 

"Let's keep it that way," Wei snarkily remarked. He leaped into the air and landed on a tree branch, deciding to scout the vicinity from a high vantage point. It was there he spotted numerous students fighting for their lives against the Grimm. "Grimm up ahead."

Suddenly, the sounds of battle reached the ears of Emma and Zorina. It startled them initially, but Emma cracked her knuckles and rushed ahead into battle. 

"Come on! We should help!" Emma tried to goad Zorina into taking action. 

Zorina made no quick movements. Instead, she stood there, staring off at the Grimm that attacked the other students. The battlefield was far too different from the controlled environment her mansion proved her. She'd seen pictures of the Grimm in her study books. However, seeing them up close awakened an emotion she never imagined she'd experience from them.

Fear.

It was perhaps the first time in her life that Zorina was left speechless and motionless. Even as the students fought for their lives against the creatures of destruction, she couldn't find the strength to lift her scythe. She watched on as Emma courageous jumped into the battle, happily fighting off the Grimm with her bare fists. 

Wei, on the other hand, quickly slaughtered the monsters with his weapons, a pair of gloves with sharp blades that extruded from them.

Zorina couldn't understand how those people could be so brave, fighting against such terrifying creatures so easily. Didn't they fear death? 

One Beowolf escaped from the students and charged the distracted Zorina.

"Hey, look out!" Emma called out to her, but her warning fell on deaf ears. The poor girl was far too frightened to raise her weapon, let alone her voice to cry out for help. The closest person to her was Wei, but the Faunus didn't bother trying to save her. He watched on with disinterested eyes, waiting to witness the inevitable slaughter.

And that would've been the case, if not for the knife that flew across the field, striking the Grimm in the face. The beast growled in pain and fell to the ground, skidding to a stop in front of Zorina. The silver-haired girl blinked in shock as the monster before she evaporated. She slowly turned around and spotted her saviors, Ilma, Rowan, and Sunil.

Rowan immediately cringed the second she made eye contact with Zorina, knowing full well that at that moment, the two girls were now partners.


	11. In Too Deep!

A few hours passed since the assignment for the first-year students began. At one of the extraction points, Lilith sat comfortably in one of the lawn chairs prepared for her and the other instructors. A scroll rested in her lap, showing her multiple screens of the students fighting for their lives in the forest. She absentmindedly swiped through the screens, stopping only when she spotted the one she was looking for.

"Most of the students have been paired up," Lilith overheard some of the other teachers talking amongst themselves. "We've got some exciting team-ups this year around."

"It's not over yet, though," Lilith spoke up. "Pairing up is the easy part. Working together, however, is where things get difficult."

The instructor's purple eyes rested on the screen of her scroll, where footage of two particular students played for her viewing pleasure. And those students were Schwartz der Hund and Watchet Amin. The duo cautiously wandered through the forest, or rather, Watchet did. Schwartz took the situation in stride, leisurely sauntering down the path without a care in the world.

Since there wasn't necessarily a time limit for the assignment, Schwartz planned to take his time and get a feel for the place. He wasn't a stranger to wandering through the wilderness, so he had a good sense of where he was for the most part. His gaze bounced around all over the place, spotting anything that could give him and his partner any clues as to where to head next.

"Is it wise not to have your weapons drawn?" Watchet inquired, taking immediate notice of Schwartz's careless behavior. To him, such a reckless attitude would cost others their lives. If they were to work out as a team, then they needed to get on the same page.

"Don't need 'em," Was Schwartz's prompt reply. He waved off his partner's concerns and continued, "I've got you around. You can watch my back while I look around."

"What exactly are you looking for?" Watchet asked.

"Scrolls, obviously," Schwartz rolled his eyes. "We can't complete this thing until we find the blue one."

Schwartz and Watchet walked through the tree line and stepped out into an open area. There, they spotted a group of Grimm, Boarbatusk's wandering through the place as well. Schwartz smiled and unsheathed his Sabre's.

Just when he prepared to kill them, Watchet grabbed his shoulder. "What are you doing?" He asked,

"Trying to kill the Grimm. What does it look like?" Schwartz answered the question with one of his own.

"They haven't spotted us. Besides, killing the Grimm is not part of our assignment." Watchet reminded. However, Schwartz refused to listen. He didn't care if it was part of the trial or not. If he spotted an enemy, he was going to take them down. Pure and simple.

Not wasting another second, Schwartz rushed ahead toward the unsuspecting Grimm. He cut them down with great ferocity, laughing maniacally as he did so. Watchet stood back and watched on, not entirely sure if he needed to lend a hand.

From the look of things, Schwartz had everything handled. By the time the Grimm began to counterattack, there was only a handful of them left. And the sword-wielding maniac took care of them in a matter of minutes. Watchet raised his shades to his forehead, getting a better look at the exciting sight before him. Schwartz stood in the center of the field, staring down at the defeated Grimm that evaporated into nothingness.

"Are you finished?" Watchet called out to his partner. While impressed with Schwartz's combat abilities, his mindset wasn't the most ideal. Well, he figured he'd have more than enough time to correct that behavior later on down the line.

Before Schwartz could respond, the ground shook. Off in the distance, several trees collapsed as a massive Boarbatusk plowed its way through them. It stopped when it spotted Schwartz and Watchet.

Its red eyes shone with clear murderous intent.

Watchet grimaced and readied his blade.

"That's a big Grimm," Schwartz commented, his body trembled in sheer excitement at the thought of fighting it.

Watchet slowly backed away, "Schwartz, I believe it would be in our best interest to slowly back away and--"

"This is more fun!" Schwartz wasted no time charging headfirst into battle, much to the chagrin of Watchet. 

Schwartz altered his swords to their SMG form and unloaded several rounds into the giant Grimm. Each shot bounced off the tough hide of the Boarbatusk, only proving to annoy it. It squealed and rolled into a ball before barreling towards the Huntsmen.

Schwartz jumped aside and watched the creature head toward Watchet.

"Watch yourself," He laughed, passing that off as a form of warning. Either his partner would evade it, or get himself flattened like a pancake. Schwartz secretly preferred the second option.

Watchet took those words to heart. The blade of his sword extended to the nearest tree before pulling him out of the way of the Grimm. The Boarbatusk plowed through several trees before coming to a complete halt, turning around and glaring at its enemies once again.

"C'mon you overgrown roast, let's see what you got," Schwartz taunted. He rushed the creature of destruction again and fired more shots. Meanwhile, Watchet attacked from afar, extending the blade of his sword again.

The Boarbatusk endured the attacks and charged, leading with its tusks. Schwartz leaped into the air and hitched a ride on the beast. He aimed his guns at its eyes and fired mercilessly. He held on for dear life while the Boarbastusk thrashed about wildly, squealing in pain.

Watchet dropped to the ground and ran alongside the Grimm. "Schwartz, we need to get the Grimm on its back! The underbelly is the weakness!"

"Kinda busy up here at the moment!" Schwartz responded, knowing he'd get thrown off if he let go of the tusk.

Watchet rolled his eyes from behind the safety of his shades. Afterward, he slashed away at the Grimm's leg. Stopping its momentum was the first step in his plan. It took a few well-placed swipes to topple the Boarbatusk. It violently sprawled across the ground, eventually stopping on its back, leaving its underside exposed.

"You're up!" Watchet called out to his partner.

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Schwartz ran up the tallest tree and leaped from it. He raised his swords above his head and delivered the finishing blow to the downed Grimm. A maniacal laugh left his mouth when he drove the sword into its stomach. He slid down the Boarbatusk's body, dragging his swords along the entire ride. When he pulled them out, the Grimm vanished.

"Nice work," Watchet smiled.

"Any other Grimm wanna be next?!" Schwartz looked around the area, hoping for an immediate answer.

"Please don't antagonize them," Watchet pleaded. It was bad enough that they already wasted enough time in the trial. He didn't want them losing any more. "We should get searching for the final scroll."

"Yeah, yeah, fine," Schwartz pouted and sheathed his swords. Just when the two prepared to leave, they spotted several Boarbatusk's coming out of the treelines. Each one was as large as the last. "Me and my big mouth, huh?"

"Indeed," Watchet groaned and reached for his sword again.

Meanwhile, in another area of the vast forest, Rowan and the others gathered around, comparing notes and ideas on how to proceed through the rest of the trial. Out of the six students, not a single one of them had a scroll in their possession.

"So, does this mean we should all team up to get all the scrolls we need to pass this assignment?" The one that asked was the tallest out of the students, Sunil Ambrus.

In theory, it wasn't a bad idea. If everyone put their heads together and decided to work together, then the rest of the trial would be a breeze. However, Rowan immediately spotted a few problems with that plan when she noticed the expressions that crossed the faces of the other students.

A majority of the students planned to help themselves rather than those they weren't teamed up with. Rowan was in that category. Unfortunately, one of the people she never wanted to see again turned out to be her partner.

Rowan looked at Zorina, who had long settled down by that point. The silver-haired woman stared back with eyes of great admiration and expectancy, probably for when she saved her life not too long ago.

_"Maybe I should've let her die?" That wicked thought crossed Rowan's mind._

"Walking around with this many people is already going to cause problems," The White Tiger Faunus, Wei Tian, callously pointed out, turning his back to the group. "Come on, Emma. We're not sticking around with them anymore. We've wasted enough time."

"Hold on, Wei. What's wrong with teaming up?" Emma questioned.

Wei stopped in his tracks and took a moment to answer, "It's bad enough I'm stuck with you. Lugging around, everyone else will only slow me down."

Rowan opened her mouth to counter the statement. However, some of the other students beat her to the punch.

"Whatever, I'm fine with not teaming up," Ilma nonchalantly said and made herself comfortable against a tree.

"Now that this Empress of Darkness has formed the soul binding contract with her destined one, I see no need in bringing on any more subjects at this time," Zorina arrogantly boasted. 

"Well, I guess if the others are so against this," Sunil seemed hesitant, but the majority didn't want to team up. So, he figured he'd stick around with his partner and keep her safe.

The students prepared to split off into they witnessed a stampede of students run by, screaming their heads off about the Grimm. One student bumped into Sunil, falling flat on his ass. 

Rowan helped the student to his feet and patted him down, checking on his condition.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"G-Grimm! A large pack of them are coming this way! We gotta run!" The student answered before he ran for his life.

Wei clicked his tongue and muttered, "Cowards. All of them."

The rumbling beneath the feet of the students alarmed them. The sheer force of the tremor forced them to take notice of the situation before them. Out from the tree line came Schwartz and Watchet, following behind them was a stampede of angry Boarbatusks.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Rowan's jaw nearly detached from her body. Not only did she not plan on seeing Schwartz or Zorina again, but she never expected to see such large Grimm so soon in her temporary status as a Huntress. "We can't deal with that!"

"W-W-We should flee!" Zorina urgently suggested. 

"No other choice!" Ilma was the first person to break away from the group. Sunil stood his ground, shield in one hand, and doubled blade ax in the other.

"You're not getting through me!" Sunil shouted as he bashed his shield into the faces of one Boarbatusk. To the surprise of everyone, the Grimm hit the ground and stayed down. 

"Impressive," Wei commented before he slid under a Boarbastusk and sliced its stomach open with his Tiger Claw weapons, killing it instantly.

Emma planted her feet and focused. When the Boarbatusks entered her range, she opened her mouth and unleashed a shockwave from her roar, sending the Grimm back. 

"Shit! Shit!" Ilma cursed as she reached into her coat, pulling out her throwing knives. She hurled a few into the eyes of the Boarbatusks, blinding them. However, one of them blindsided her, ramming her into a nearby tree. A tan light flickered around her body before dissipating. She slumped to the ground; blood decorated the tree behind her.

"Ilma!" Sunil shouted, horrified at the sight of his defeated partner. Some Grimm surrounded the wounded Huntress in training; their intent to kill her was evident. The large man kicked off the ground, launching himself across the battlefield at high speed. He stood protectively in front of his partner, brandishing his weapons. The first poor creature that approached him found its head severed from its body, courtesy of his ax. The next one got pummeled to oblivion by his shield. He continued with his pattern of brutality until all enemies were disposed of.

"I didn't sign up for this shit!" Rowan complained and ran off alongside Zorina. Unlike the others, they weren't going to confront a stampede of Grimm.

"Retreat is the best option in this situation!" Zorina agreed. 

"I'm glad someone agrees with me!" Rowan and Zorina turned their heads to the side and realized that they were running alongside Schwartz and Watchet. "Attracting the attention of this many Grimm wasn't part of the assignment, Schwartz!"

"Oh, quit complaining! This is a lot more fun than collecting some stupid scrolls!" Schwartz exclaimed. He looked over his shoulder and noted that the number of Grimm following them dropped significantly. "We should be able to take them now!"

"Are you insane?! If you wanna tackle that many Grimm by yourself, then be my guest! But keep me out of it!" Rowan protested against the idea, not wanting to get roped into more danger. 

"It's a little too late for that, don't you think?" Watchet questioned.

"We've got a problem!" Zorina pointed ahead, spotting a cliff in the distance. 

"Oh, that's perfect!" Schwartz smirked, a devious scheme having already formed in his head. "We'll jump!"

"Jump?!" Rowan and Zorina exclaimed.

"You guys ready?" Schwartz wondered, not bothering to care if they were or not. Regardless if they survived or not, he knew that he was going to.

"Maybe we should come up with another plan?" Watchet suggested. But at that point, it was too late. They were too close to the edge back out. With no other choice, the four students jumped off the cliff alongside the horde of Boarbatusks. Gravity took its course and sent them plummeting further into the thick forest. 


	12. To The Extraction Point!

Falling from an aerial vehicle wasn't enough for Schwartz der Hund, Watchet Amin, Rowan Azarola, and Zorina Teufel. Unlike the other students, they took things to another level when they jumped off a cliff into the thick forest below. Sure, only one of them willingly took the leap of faith, while the others went along to avoid the stampede of Boarbatusk behind them. Rowan and Zorina screamed their heads off, unprepared for their landing or the rain of Grimm from above.

"Grab my hand!" Watchet pleaded. Rowan and Zorina wasted no time in complying. If the young man could save their lives, then they were prepared to throw all caution to the wind. They locked hands and formed a human chain. Once secured, Watchet launched the blade of his sword into the cliffside. It pulled them to safety and out of reach from the downpour of Grimm.

"We missed one!" Zorina pointed at Schwartz, who resumed to freefall into the forest with the rest of the Boarbatusks.

"Who cares?" Rowan dismissed Schwartz's safety. "Bastard nearly got us killed with this recklessness! Leave him to the Grimm!"

"I can't do that," Watchet shook his head. While their time together was short, they were partners. What kind of Huntsman would he be if he abandoned his partner? "You can go ahead and leave if you'd like. But I must go and save Schwartz."

"Well, it's not like we can refuse in this situation," Zorina pointed out, helping Rowan realize the helplessness of their situation. They dangled off a cliffside with their only means of support being a sword. 

"Does anyone have a plan to get down from here safely?" Rowan inquired since she as sure as hell didn't have one.

"Hold on tight, please," Watchet slowly lowered the girls to the bottom of the cliff. His sword returned to its original length as he turned and stared at the pile of Grimm.

Atop of said pile was Schwartz, who casually inspected his clothes. 

"Damn it, definitely gotta wash these when I get back," Schwartz complained, brushing off the leaves from his clothes. He looked down and spotted the others. "Oh, you guys survived. Good job."

"Good job? Good job?!" Rowan exclaimed, her face turned red with rage as the Huntsmen jumped down from the pile of dissipating Grimm. "What the hell was that back there?! You could've gotten us killed!"

"What were you thinking?!" Zorina chimed in.

"I was thinking about killing the Grimm," Schwartz indicated to the dead Grimm behind him. "Plan worked thanks to me. You're welcome."

"No one's thanking you!" Rowan pointed out.

"I know, and it's rude to the person that saved your lives," Schwartz said.

"This one saved our lives," Zorina placed a firm hand on Watchet's shoulder. "Not you."

"Whatever," Schwartz dismissed their complaints and wandered off in a random direction.

"Where are you going?! We're not finished here!" Rowan yelled, flailing her fist in the air.

"I don't wanna talk to you anymore. So, it feels like we're finished." Schwartz stopped in his tracks and stared up at the sky. "It's getting late. Only have a few hours left of daytime."

"You don't think the trial will continue even during nightfall, do you?" Zorina wondered. Certainly not out of fear, of course. She was the Empress of Darkness. Twelve mere hours of darkness meant nothing for her.

"I wouldn't put it past them," Watchet answered. "They've already dropped us from airships."

"So, we gonna get moving or what?" Schwartz directed his gaze to his partner. "We still gotta find that last scroll, or else we'll be here all night."

"What color scroll do you need?" Zorina suddenly asked. 

Schwartz pointed to the blue scroll secured on his kidney belt. "A red one,"

"Ah, that's the color my destined one has," Zorina revealed, shocking her partner.

"W-What are you talking about?!" Rowan quickly dismissed the revelation. "I don't have a scroll on me!"

"Yes, you do. I saw you steal it from the student that bumped into you earlier." 

An imaginary lightbulb appeared above Schwartz's head the moment that words came out of Zorina's mouth. The goal of the trial was to acquire both scrolls and bring them to an extraction point. The instructors never mentioned any rules on how the students could obtain said scrolls.

Therefore, stealing them was an option Schwartz could use.

"Alright, ladies, make this easy on yourselves and hand over the scroll," Schwartz demanded. It was a well-practiced phrase he'd often use when he robbed people with his bandit tribe. Rarely did it ever work, but he figured he'd give a try.

"Schwartz, what are you doing?" Watchet nervously asked, knowing all too well the direction the situation was going. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, preparing for anything.

"See what you did?" Rowan angrily whispered to her partner. 

"W-Wait! You're not honestly planning on battling against us, are you?" Zorina asked. It didn't cross her mind that her words would cause a fight between the students.

"Depends on your partner there. Are you girls gonna hand over your scroll? Or am I gonna hafta take it from you?" Schwartz gave them their only options. No matter what they chose, he planned to leave with the scroll and complete the trial.

"We got our scroll fair and square! I'll be damned if I let you take it from me!" Rowan stood her ground, more than ready for a fight against the bastard that caused her so much strife with each encounter they've had.

"That so? Guess that's it then," Schwartz shrugged his shoulders, deciding to go ahead with his second option. The moment he reached for his swords, darkness shrouded the entire area, obscuring everyone's view. "What the hell is this?!"

"A Grimm?!" Watchet exclaimed.

"Foolish mortals!" Zorina's voice thundered through the darkness, alarming the other students. "You dare turn your blades on this Empress of Darkness and her destined one?! You shall pay for your insolence with your lives! Prepare yourselves!"

Schwartz smirked and unsheathed his swords, gleefully anticipating the first move in the battle. "So, this is your doing, tall, dark, and gloomy? Alright, let's see what you got!"

Another haughty laugh left the mouth of the self-proclaimed Empress. The fool hadn't realized that he was within the abyss of darkness, a place no mere mortal ever dared to venture and come out sane or alive. Zorina raised her scythe and launched herself forward, violently swinging away at her enemies.

Schwartz and Watchet stood their ground and readied themselves for anything and everything. Amid the darkness, the Huntsmen couldn't let their guards down. They heard simple swipes of a weapon nearby, which caused their bodies to go tense. An attack was coming.

But they didn't know when.

Rowan, on the other hand, remained on standby. Even when shrouded in the cloud of darkness, the young woman hadn't bothered to retrieve her pistols from her sleeves. She had an impeccable vision, even in the dark. She stood there, flummoxed at the sight before her.

Zorina ran around the area like an imbecile, swinging her scythe around with no clear target in sight. Schwartz and Watchet kept their guard up but were incredibly tense as they waited in anticipation for something to happen.

_"Idiots," Rowan invertedly commented before she retrieved her pistols from her sleeves. Since she was the only one that could see in the darkness, she fired a few Fire Dust infused shots at the unsuspecting opponents._

The sudden flash of red caught Schwartz and Watchet's attention. The duo evaded the attacks and rushed in Rowan's direction. The young woman let out a small sigh before she spun the chambers of her pistols, deciding to go with another type of Dust. Even as they charged her, Rowan felt no fear.

The idiots couldn't see her. As long as she played her cards right, she'd have them beaten in no time. Before they could get too close, she leaped into the air and fired Wind Dust rounds at them. 

Most of the shots were directed toward Schwartz, and they hit their mark. While the ones intended for Watchet surprisingly missed.

No.

He avoided them. The young man shockingly possessed great instincts. He felt the breeze from the bullets coming seconds before they made contact, and he dodged accordingly. Although random, Watchet swung his sword in Rowan's general direction.

Rowan shrieked and dodged the blade. At that moment, she realized her mistake when that dreadful sound left her mouth. Schwartz used his ears and pinpointed Rowan's location. He dashed over to her, clearing the distance within seconds. While he couldn't quite see her, Schwartz could make out a form in the darkness. He showed no hesitance in swinging his sword, aiming for the neck.

Left with no other choice, Rowan activated her semblance. A pulse of energy enveloped the immediate area, slowing everything down to a halt. Rowan stole the scroll from Schwartz's kidney belt and quickly ran over to Zorina. She grabbed her partner and led her out of the darkness, leaving Schwartz and Watchet alone.

Soon enough, the darkness and pulse of energy dissipated. Schwartz and Watchet blinked in confusion, noticing the fleeing women.

"Bunch of cowards," Schwartz commented, resting the dull side of his sword on his shoulder. His eyes widened when he spotted a familiar scroll in the hands of Rowan. He patted down his kidney belt, not feeling his specific item. "Son of a bitch! They stole the scroll!"

"We must retrieve it!" Watchet and Schwartz chased after them.

"They're gaining!" Zorina yelled.

"Yeah, I know!" Rowan turned around and fired a few shots. Schwartz ran out in front of Watchet and deflected the bullets with his swords. Afterward, Watchet jumped out from behind his partner and swung his sword, the blade extended and chased after Rowan.

The con woman activated her semblance again, unleashing a pulse of energy that slowed everything down. She grabbed Zorina and jumped in a pile of bushes, undoing her semblance at the same time. Schwartz and Watchet stopped once again, flummoxed how they managed to lose their targets again. In their eyes, it appeared that Rowan possessed a speed semblance. 

"Shit! Where'd they go?!" Schwartz cursed, looking around for any immediate sign of Rowan and Zorina. "We can't let them escape with our scrolls!"

"They couldn't have gotten too far," Watchet assumed.

While Schwartz and Watchet continued to converse among themselves, Rowan and Zorina kept their heads down, concealed in the bushes. Rowan's hand placed tightly around Zorina's mouth to keep her from revealing their position. With her attention directed toward her opponents, she was unaware of the danger that lay before her.

However, Zorina wasn't ignorant of it. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the Grimm that slithered toward them. A King Taijitu. Zorina's body trembled in fear, but Rowan paid it no mind. The silver-haired girl tried to warn her comrade, but only muffled cries came out of her mouth. It wasn't until the Grimm hissed and bared its fangs did Rowan realize their dilemma. 

Rowan reached for her gun, but it was too late. The Serpent Grimm lunged intending to swallow the girls whole. The girls closed their eyes and braced for death. 

But, it never came.

Bullets from Schwartz and a few slashes from Watchet rendered the Grimm blind when their attacks struck it in the eye. It reeled back and screeched in agonizing pain, in which case caused the second head to take its place.

Schwartz leaped over Rowan and Zorina, spiraling toward the Grimm with his swords in hand. He sliced the head of the King Taijitu and jumped away for Watchet to deliver the finishing blow. The Huntsman's blade lashed out and decapitated the beast while Schwartz dealt with the other head. 

When the two finished, Schwartz pointed his swords at the damsels in distress while Watchet looked on ahead.

"Ladies," Schwartz smiled. "Think I'll be taking those scrolls back now."

"You saved us just to rob us?!" Rowan exclaimed. She'd expect someone like her to pull that kind of stunt. She had performed that very deed long ago. 

"Schwartz, we don't need to rob them," Watchet tugged on Schwartz's clothes. Schwartz turned and looked ahead, spotting several scrolls spread out around the field. The black-haired Huntsman approached the scrolls and picked up the ones they needed.

"There's blood on these," Schwartz commented. He looked onward and spotted corpses on mangled students. "Whatever did that to those guys might still be here."

"Then we should leave!" Zorina suggested, no longer wanting to wander around in the forest. She didn't want to encounter whatever Grimm did that to those students.

"Anyone know where the nearest extraction point is?" Rowan asked.

"How about we check the scrolls," suggested Watchet as he grabbed the ones in Schwartz's hands. Without a second thought, he opened them both and placed them on the ground. "It looks like the contents of the scrolls are of a map."

"But, it's incomplete," Rowan complained, noting that the map didn't specify an extraction point.

"What's the point of these scrolls then?!" Zorina exclaimed.

"Maybe we need to combine them?" Watchet held his hand out for Rowan and Zorina's scrolls. While reluctant at first, the young woman handed them over. Watchet opened the scrolls and placed them on the ground.

With the four scrolls together, it formed a perfect map, which detailed several extraction points across the forest. 

"Closest one is over here," Schwartz pointed. "We can get there in about another hour if we hurry,"

"No time to waste," Watchet collected all four scrolls and gestured for Schwartz to lead the way, which the Huntsman gladly accepted. Rowan and Zorina once again hesitated, not feeling too giddy about following people that were their enemies not even five minutes ago.

But, when they considered their options, it was better to follow them than to stick around in that area. And with that, the four students decided to hold together and reach the extraction point.


	13. End of The Trial!

A fatal swipe of golden claws tore through the flesh of the last Boarbatusk Grimm. The owner of those weapons, Wei Tian, let out a resounding roar after the slain monster faded into nothingness. He swiped his claws through the air one last time, cleansing them from his prey's vile blood. The once lush and fertile forest area resembled more of a desolate wasteland. The young Faunus didn't expect the battle to last that long.

"Anyone else dead? Sound off," Wei demanded.

"Luckily, none of us are," The first one to respond was his partner, Emma Nance. The young, black-haired woman took a seat on the ground to catch her breath. Ten minutes fighting a pack of Grimm was exhausting.

"How are you feeling?" The large man, Sunil Ambrus, cradled his partner, Ilma Aden, in his arms. She suffered from head trauma thanks to their encounter with the Grimm pack. The attack broke her aura, leaving her defenseless for the time being. Sunil removed the sash from around her waist and tied it around her head to stop the bleeding.

"Like shit," Ilma complained. Although she was wounded, she had no qualms with continuing her lazy antics. She shamelessly snuggled against Sunil's broad chest, despite his armor covering it. "Guess you'll hafta carry me for the rest of the trial."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Sunil sighed, knowing that Ilma was completely serious with her suggestion. No, it was more like a demand. 

"What should we do?" Emma looked to her partner for answers. "We can't stay here much longer, plus we still have a trial to complete. And it's getting dark."

"We get moving, obviously," Wei bluntly answered. With their fight against the Grimm now finished, they had no reason to stick around in one spot. His eyebrows raised once Sunil approached them with the wounded student in his arms. "What are you doing?"

"Bringing her with me," answered Sunil.

"You're not coming with us carrying that girl around. It's a liability."

"Wei!" Emma called out in disapproval.

"Unless you wish to slow us down, I'd advise leaving her. If not, you can carry her around by yourself. Emma and I won't help you."

"I don't recall asking for your help," Sunil walked past the White Tiger Faunus, not even giving the young man a second glance. He knew he'd come across people like Wei; people so selfish, so stubborn that they'd abandon anyone and everyone they deemed useless. He wouldn't force himself to stick around someone that toxic much longer.

It'd be hard completing the trial while having to carry around Ilma, but it was better than leaving her. From that moment, he was her protector.

"Idiot," Wei spat.

"Can't help but respect him, though," Emma chided.

"Whatever, let's keep looking for some scrolls while we have the chance," Wei ordered and headed off in a random direction.

* * *

Meanwhile, the impromptu team of Schwartz, Watchet, Rowan, and Zorina trekked through the thick forest. Although they had a map in their possession, it didn't make their journey any more relaxed or comfortable for that matter. Rowan and Zorina were exhausted, often slacking behind and voicing several complaints about their situation. Watchet sympathized with the girls and kept their minds off their walk by engaging in casual conversation. Schwartz, on the other hand, nearly reached his breaking point with the stragglers.

If they were members of his bandit tribe, he would've left them behind ages ago. Those that were too weak to keep up deserved to get left in the dust. After all, weakness was a sin. Thankfully, they weren't in too much danger in which the young man would have to do that. As soon as they reached the extraction point, the trial would be over, and he'd never have to deal with the girls again. Unfortunately, he was stuck with Watchet for the next four years of his life.

"Have we arrived yet?" Zorina complained again for perhaps the hundredth time within the last forty minutes. She was a noble girl with impressive combat experience and training. However, traveling long distances wasn't included in her set of skills.

Schwartz's arm twitched. He resisted the urge to reach for his sword and cut out the frustrating girl's tongue. He gathered what little was left of his composure and answered the girl.

"For the last time, we'll get there when we get there!"

"We've been walking for hours!" Zorina cried, wanting nothing more than to sit down and take a break. The trial proved far more brutal and intense than she initially thought.

"Fifty minutes," Watchet corrected the girl's blatant attempt at hyperbole.

"Maybe we'd get there faster if you girls picked up the pace!" Schwartz pointed out before studying the map again.

"Or, maybe we'd get there faster if you let someone take a look at the map!" Rowan confronted Schwartz and held her hand out, demanding ownership of the map. "Hand it over!"

Schwartz raised the map above his head, knowing that due to the girl's short stature, she wouldn't reach it. "No way! I know how to read this!"

"I bet we're just lost because of you!" Rowan yelled.

"Settle down, both of you," Watchet stepped in between the two students and separated them. The last thing the group needed was to fight each other again. "Fighting amongst each other won't do us any good. Let's stay focused and keep moving forward before nightfall."

The students shifted their attention to the nearly set sun off in the distance. They had perhaps another hour before night came. Each second wasted only proved to increase the level of difficulty of the trial.

"Alright, fine," Rowan cast her doubt aside and gestured for Schwartz to continue leading the group, which the young man happily accepted.

"Let's go," Schwartz smiled and pressed onward. The team proceeded down the path until they spotted the extraction point off in the distance. They could tell it was there due to the Haven flag, which marked the destination.

Usually, the sight would've incited them to run off ahead. However, another view caught their attention — dozens of bodies and holes spread out across the field before them.

"Help…us…" Some of the wounded students begged, reaching out towards Schwartz and the others.

"What happened here?" Rowan asked, feeling the urge to turn and run away.

"Grimm…" Schwartz answered as he set the map aside and reached for his swords. He could sense it. The creature of destruction was nearby, waiting for them to make a rash move. Luckily, he was the right person for the job.

"What's the plan, Schwartz?" Watchet inquired.

"W-Wait a second! What are you planning?" Zorina asked.

"I'm gonna draw the bastard out and kill it when it pokes its head out," Schwartz answered and rushed ahead, moving straight for the extraction point. Just as he planned, the ground beneath began to rumble. It started easy at first but grew more ferocious.

Soon enough, a large, mole-like Grimm burst through the ground, slashing its sharp claws toward the young man.

Schwartz unsheathed his swords and crossed them in front of him. Sparks flew when the Grimm's claws clashed with his blades. The force of the strike also sent the young student flying back. However, he landed safely on the ground, skidding to a stop in front of the others.

"There you are, ugly," Schwartz scoffed at the sight of the Grimm.

"A Talpa," Watchet informed the others. "A type of Grimm that likes to burrow holes underground and tear things apart with their sharp claws. A troublesome opponent indeed."

Rowan sighed and raised her hands, using the mechanisms on her wrists to propel her pistols to her hands. "We can't just run away from this thing, can we?"

"Afraid not," Watchet drew his sword as well, more than prepared to fight the monster alongside his comrades. "It's already harmed so many of our classmates. We can't let it live."

Zorina remained unnaturally quiet in the situation. She stayed behind the others, trembling at the sight of the large Grimm. It was much larger than the Beowolf that attacked her earlier. Sure, the girl had her scythe clutched tightly in her hands. However, her usual confidence was long gone.

"Quite the dirty fighter, aren't you?" Schwartz rested one of his swords on his shoulder and casually strolled toward the Grimm, not showing an ounce of fear. "Waited for the other losers to wander in your territory and then attacked right from under them. Well, that won't work on me. So, let's see what you got!"

"Is he talking to the Grimm right now?" Rowan whispered to Watchet.

"It…appears so…" Watchet nodded.

"Let's do this!" Schwartz leaped into the air and brought his swords down on the Talpa. However, the Grimm defended itself with its claws. Schwartz kicked off the monster in time to evade its next swipe.

When she spotted an opening, Rowan open fired on the Grimm. She pumped the Talpa full of Fire Dust rounds. The flames consumed the monster but dispersed once it dove into one of the many holes for safety.

"No fair! That's cheating!" Rowan complained.

It didn't take long for the Talpa resurface. It jumped out from the hole closest to the students with its claws ready to tear them to shreds.

Watchet's blade lashed out and clashed with its claws instead. Meanwhile, Schwartz transformed his swords into their SMG form and unloaded them on the Grimm. Since it showed the young man its back, he took it as a welcoming gesture.

The Talpa cried out in pain and turned around, glaring at Schwartz.

"Don't complain! You turned your back!" Schwartz laughed, charging the Grimm again.

"Never turn your back on your opponent," Watchet instructed the Grimm as if it would learn anything in the experience. He mercilessly sliced the creature across its back, watching it stumble and fall back into one of its holes again.

"Shit! Again!" Schwartz cursed and looked around the area, seeing if he could spot where the Talpa would show its head.

"Zorina! Behind you!" Rowan cried out once the Grimm rose from the earth behind the terrified girl.

"Huh?!" Zorina didn't have enough time to look. No matter how much she commanded her body to move, it refused to obey her desires. She felt it, however. Another encounter with death came at her, and she was left defenseless again.

"Shit!" Rowan cursed under her breath, knowing she had no other choice but to use her Semblance. She couldn't have her partner dying on their first day together. Not on her watch.

With her ability, she slowed everything down long enough for her to reach Zorina and tackled her out the way. Once they were safe, her powers deactivated. The Talpa drove its claws into the dirt, to the immediate surprise of Schwartz and Watchet.

"That super speed semblance must come in handy," Schwartz noted, almost jealous that there was someone possibly faster than him in the school. Regardless, with the girls out of the way, he and Watchet banded together and attacked the Grimm.

Schwartz kept to one side and unloaded multiple rounds while Watchet stayed in a relatively safe distance and slashed away at the Talpa with his sword. The Grimm proved more formidable than they anticipated. It read their movements and blocked their attacks with its claws.

The moment Schwartz ceased with his gunfire, the Grimm focused its sights on him. It showed impressive movement speed as it swiped its claws at the student. Thankfully, Schwartz matched the creature's speed and ferocity. The clashing of their attacks brought the young man a sadistic pleasure. His blood pumped with excitement.

The thrill of battle was all he desired.

While Schwartz and Watchet kept the Talpa occupied, Rowan tried to snap some sense into her partner. She didn't have much confidence in the strength of Schwartz and Watchet, so she couldn't leave them to fight it alone. Well, she could.

The thought certainly crossed her mind several times throughout the trial. But, that wouldn't look good on her record. Having the title of "Desserter" would gather too much attention towards her, which defeated the purpose of her lying low. Therefore, defeating the Grimm with her team would provide her at least some cover as long as she didn't put in too much effort.

"What's your deal?!" Rowan called out Zorina. "Why're you standing around?! Put that weapon to good use and help us cut it down!"

"I-I-I would...but it's not the right time to act yet..." Zorina struggled to speak. Sure, she was in a safe spot behind a set of trees, but the Grimm was far from dead. She looked around and spotted the Talpa fighting Schwartz and Watchet. The situation seemed under control with them around. All she had to do was wait it out until they killed it.

No reason for her to engage the creature of destruction in combat.

"Not the right time?!" Rowan exclaimed, not understanding the absurdness of the girl's words. To her, it was the perfect time to strike. Four Huntsmen against one monster most likely equaled victory in their case. "Quit the shit and get it together! We gotta go and help!"

Rowan grabbed Zorina's hand and tried to pull the girl to her feet. But, the silver-haired girl refused to budge. She was deadset on letting the others kill the monster for her. It was far too soon for her to encounter such dangerous monsters this early in her career as a Huntress.

"What's going on?" Watchet exclaimed, not bothering to look behind him. Taking one's eyes off an opponent during combat was a rookie mistake. One that he didn't plan to make. All he could do was hold his ground and hope the others would pull through.

"You guys getting in on the action or not?!" Schwartz called out.

"Damn, the girl doesn't want to get off her ass!" Rowan answered.

The Talpa rotated around at high speed, knocking Schwartz and Watchet into nearby trees. With the boys down, the Grimm was free to charge onward with its sights set on Rowan and Zorina.

"Shit! Get up! It's coming this way!" Rowan aimed her guns and shot at the monster. In near-death situations like that, often enough, the body's instincts would take over and force people into action. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for Zorina.

The girl cowered and kept her head down. It seemed that death was upon them.

Suddenly, a shield flew out from the forest and struck the back of the Talpa's head. The monster slumped forward, nearly falling on top of Zorina until Emma rushed by and kicked it away.

"You okay?" Emma asked the girl, suddenly feeling a sense of déjà vu.

"H-Huh? Uhh…y-yeah, I think so…" Zorina nodded her head, trying to process everything that happened.

"Glad we made it in time," Sunil sighed in relief once he retrieved his shield. He looked ahead and noticed the carnage left behind by the Grimm. "Did that one Grimm do all this?"

"Seems like it," Wei entered his way into the area, landing right in front of the group. He readied his claws, studying the movements of his prey before him. The White Tiger Faunus lunged at the Talpa, swiping away at the monster with his claws.

Somehow, the Talpa managed to keep up with his speed, matching his swipes blow for blow. Wei clicked his tongue and jumped away from the Grimm, gaining some distance from it.

"It possesses some degree of skills," He informed the others.

"Perhaps for you!" Schwartz scoffed, remembering that he'd been searching for Wei. The world always found a way to make things more interesting for him. Now he'd be able to kill the Grimm and show up the Faunus at the same time. It was perfect. "Why don't you step aside and let the pros show you how it's done."

"The pros?" Wei sneered at the notion of Schwartz being one of the pros. As far as he was concerned, he was the most experienced Hunter out of everyone in the area. And he planned to prove that fact.

"I don't think this is the time for this, guys!" Emma called out. The Talpa brought its palms on the ground, causing a slight tremor that knocked most of the students off balance. From there, it lunged at the nearest one, which turned out to be Emma and Sunil.

Both students stood their ground. Emma redirected one of the Grimm's claws in another direction, while Sunil grabbed onto the other and kept the monster in place. Ilma, Rowan, and Schwartz took advantage of the stilled target. They blasted the Talpa with their guns and knives until the creature broke free and escaped into the holes again.

"Agh! Annoying son of a bitch!" Schwartz cursed, having half a mind to jump in after it.

"We won't get anywhere if it keeps running away like that!" Rowan complained.

"Are all the holes connected?" Emma questioned.

"Most likely," Watchet answered. "Perhaps if there was a way to attack all the holes at once and draw it out."

"I can do that," Emma smirked and looked at Ilma and Rowan. "But I'll need your help."

"With what?" The female students asked in unison.

"Can you two use your dust and start a small fire?" Emma requested.

"Why?" Rowan asked.

"Trust me, okay?" 

"Sure, whatever," Ilma showed no shame in doing as instructed. She tossed several Fire Dust knives throughout the area, watching as they combusted and started the requested fire. Rowan and the other students stood by and watched Emma work her magic.

The young Huntress in training stood near one of the holes and took a few deep breaths. On the inhale, the flames around her rose; on the exhale, they sank. Soon enough, Emma opened her mouth, allowing the fire around her to get sucked in as if she were a black hole. Afterward, she unleashed the absorbed flames from her mouth with a tremendous roar into one of the holes. The shockwave combined with the fire caused an explosion, which resulted in a dozen towers of fire to erupt from the remaining holes in the ground.

"Badass," Schwartz couldn't help but compliment the team attack. However, his eyes soon rested on the Talpa, which got blown out from its home in the ground. "There you are! You're mine!"

Schwartz leaped into the air after the Grimm.

"No, you don't!" Wei followed.

Before the Talpa knew what hit it, the monster was sliced into mincemeat thanks to the combined efforts of Schwartz and Wei. The students landed safely on the ground, not bothering to look behind them as the remains of the Grimm fell to the dirt, evaporating into nothingness shortly afterward.

"That was my kill!" Schwartz proudly claimed ownership of the Grimm's execution.

"I see you're as stupid as you are blind. That kill was obviously mine." Wei corrected.

"What was that?" Schwartz got in the Faunus' face, more than prepared to fight against the man right there. But, their fight couldn't proceed any further since the other students got in between them, informing them about their trial. They reluctantly put their fight on hold and headed for the extraction point, thus putting the trial to an end.


	14. Team SWRZ!

The trip to the extraction point was hell for Rowan Cassidy. For nearly the entire half-hour walk, Schwartz der Hund and Wei Tian argued back and forth about which one of them was far more superior than the other. Personally, Rowan had no interest in their dick measuring contest. She didn’t care which one of them was stronger. All she wanted was some peace.

Her least favorite thing about the entire trial was the people tagging along. None of them fit her ideal description of discreet, which was something she wanted to be throughout the test. Everything was a mess. Nothing went how she wanted.

Rowan's snatch and run job in Mistral was a bust. If not for her ex-partner, Duncan, she'd be off somewhere on a cruise relaxing with the millions of dollars she could've stolen off her mark. The thought of sunbathing on the deck of a luxurious ship, sipping away on fine wine, brought a smile to her face. Oh, what could have been. 

Unfortunately, all that was a pipe dream. Rowan was stuck in Mistral until news about Duncan's incarceration reached her ears. Hopefully, it'd take a few weeks. She just had to put up with everyone’s antics until then. But it was easier said than done.

Schwartz’s impulsive and recklessness reminded her too much of Duncan. If they were out in the field together, she wouldn’t hesitate to leave him behind. Watchet was decent in her eyes. He seemed like a bit of a kiss-ass though, always following Schwartz around, hanging on his every word simply because they were partners.

Speaking of partners, Zorina got on Rowan’s last nerve. While one ear got chewed out by Schwartz and Wei’s bickering, the other got bombarded with stupid rantings from the silver-haired girl. Over and over, the girl raved about her powers of darkness would consume the entire world of Remnant. The con woman refused to put any effort into listening to her partner. 

Zorina was lucky that Rowan didn't like killing people. If not for that, the silver-haired Huntress would've found a bullet between her eyes a long time ago. 

Thankfully, Rowan's salvation came at the sight of the extraction point. Instructor Lilith and other teachers flagged the Huntsmen in training down, prompting the children to rush onward. To their credit, they were the only ones that reached that particular point. However, they were far off from the first ones to finish the trial. Schwartz and Wei were both disappointed upon hearing the news; meanwhile, the others quickly got over it.

"Not bad," Lilith congratulated the students on their job well done. Sure, they had some rough edges and kinks to work out. But she didn't expect perfection out of them. That was the whole point of the trial; to gauge the skills and abilities of the Huntsmen in training and mold them into professionals throughout their four-year stay. "You kids did quite alright out there. Get yourselves on the ships. We'll take you back to Haven."

"Thank you!" Rowan wasted little time in being one of the first of the students on the ship. Zorina and Emma followed her lead shortly afterward. 

"It's finally over," Emma stumbled onto the airship and collapsed onto the hard, wooden floor. The young woman exerted far more power than she planned throughout the trial. 

"Get up, Emma. Lying on the ground like that is disgraceful," Wei chastised his partner. Now that the two were a pair, he'd make sure that his team would exude tremendous levels of strength. Although reluctant, Emma stood and took a proper seat inside the ship. She knew she was in for one hell of a ride with Wei sticking around.

Sunil and Ilma were next to board the ship. Even after the danger was long gone, Ilma still preferred to get carried around by her titan of a partner. With that large, hunk of mass as her sworn protector, the next four years at Haven Academy would be nothing but smooth sailing. 

With the trial in the forest completed, the students left standing were extracted and brought back to the safety of Haven Academy. Those that were able to stand were collected and escorted to the auditorium, where the Headmaster, Professor Leonardo Lionhart, waited. The man welcomed the Huntsmen in training with open areas and began to call out their names, requesting them to line up in front of him. It was the most anticipated moment for first-year students.

It was time for them to get paired up into teams. Regardless if they wanted them or not, all the students were stuck with whoever the Headmaster decided. Schwartz again kept to the back of the room, observing the expressions of the other students that got formed into groups. Eventually, Wei Tian, Emma Nance, Illma Aden, and Sunil Ambrus were called to the front of the room.

The Headmaster mentioned their accolades during the trial and commended them on their skills before proclaiming them as Team WEIS, with Wei Tian selected as the leader. Afterward, Schwartz der Hund, Watchet Amin, Rowan Cassidy, and Zorina Teufel were called up to the front. From that moment on, Schwartz blacked out. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going to happen next. The three people he didn't ever want to see again, were now going to be his partners for the next four years.

It was far too late to do anything. The young man snapped back into reality when he heard his name being called by the Headmaster.

"Schwartz der Hund, you showed tremendous bravery and courage during your trial out in the forest. Therefore, I have decided to make you the leader of Team SWRZ." Leonardo announced.

"What?!" Schwartz and Rowan exclaimed in unison. However, the reasons for the outburst differed from one another. While he didn't enjoy getting stuck with three of the most annoying people in the school, the thought of leading them piqued his interest. He'd never been much of a leader before. Back at his tribe, he wasn't allowed many opportunities to lead groups. 

Perhaps in the next four years as a team leader wouldn't be so bad after all.

Rowan, on the other hand, wasn't about Schwartz as the leader of the newly formed team. The Headmaster saw his recklessness as bravery?! Schwartz nearly got everyone killed with carelessness and hot-headed tactics. It was thanks to Rowan's plans that earned them the victory against the last Grimm during the trial. If anyone should've been chosen as a team leader, it should've been her.

She wouldn't have it. She wouldn't allow an idiot like Schwartz to boss her around. 

"Congratulations, leader." Watchet placed a comforting hand on Schwartz's shoulder. Unlike Rowan, he looked forward to teaming up with everyone. Sure, he was upset that he wasn't chosen as the leader. But it was something he could get over. Even if he weren't in charge, he'd do everything he could to make his team the best in the entire school.

Although Rowan kept silent about the shocking turn of events, her body language said it all. Head down; shoulders drooped, hands in pockets. Nothing about the situation pleased her one bit. If anything, it only added fuel to her desire to escape from Mistral as soon as possible. Nothing could make her day any worse.

"History shall never forget the day of our glorious formation," Zorina proudly boasted, wildly posturing, as usual, making sure that everyone witnessed her grandeur.

"Schwartz der Hund..." Schwartz muttered quietly as he and his new teammates abandoned the stage for the next team. "Leader of Team SWRZ. I think I like the sound of this Huntsman stuff now..."

While the young man wasn't entirely sure where his training would lead him in the very end, he was confident he'd have a lot of fun along the way.


	15. First Day of Class!

It was the morning after Team SWRZ’s formation. Immediately after Headmaster Lionhart finished assigning the other students to teams, Schwartz and the others were escorted to their new room for the next four years. It certainly beat sleeping out in the auditorium like they did the other day. The first person to raise a complaint out of the team was none other than the short, red-head, Rowan Cassidy. It was one thing to accept not being the leader of the group.

Honestly, she hadn’t. She felt that she was the most qualified to lead the team of misfits. Her mind was sharp, her reflexes were undoubtedly the greatest, and she was overall the best choice. Something was wrong with the system. Either that or the Headmaster was a complete moron.

While she kept her complaints of not being selected as the leader on the back burner, she’d be damned if she was going to sleep in the same room with two other guys for the next four years. She didn’t remember anyone mentioning the school is co-ed. There was no telling the indecent things she’d see wandering in the room at the wrong time. A situation like that had to be avoided at all costs.

The first thing Rowan demanded to rectify the situation was hanging up a sheet in the middle of the room; that way, the girls and boys would remain separated and prevent incidents of peeping. With Watchet and Zorina agreeing with her suggestion, Schwartz’s refusal was quickly dismissed and ignored. From there, the room was split in half — girls on the left, boys on the right. Anyone caught crossing the boundary at night was subjectable to a beatdown.

Upon the warm rays of the sun bleeding through the windows, Team SWRZ made their way out of their beds…some faster than others. Watchet and Rowan were the first ones out of their beds. They were dressed and ready for the rest of their day. Meanwhile, Schwartz and Zorina tossed and turned in their bed, moaning and groaning about the racket their teammates made getting ready.

“Schwartz, I do believe it’s time for you to get up,” Watchet approached the team leader’s bed and gently shook the young man. “We don’t want to be late on our first day of class. It wouldn’t look good on our record.”

“Who cares about records?” Schwartz groaned as he pulled the blankets over his face. It’d been years since he'd slept in a soft, comfortable bed. He wanted to enjoy it for as long as he could.

“Records are incredibly important. As one of the new teams in Haven Academy, we should set the perfect standard for future Huntsmen to come.” Watchet sat down at the foot of Schwartz’s bed. He continued to bombard Schwartz’s eardrums with his usual, nonsensical prattle until the team leader finally decided to get up.

“This is going to be a regular thing with you, isn’t it?” Schwartz sighed.

"Punctuality is very important," Watchet announced.

"Yeah, yeah. Are the girls up yet?"

"I'm not sure. I was given strict instructions from Rowan not to look past the sheet."

"What? Does she think we're going to peep on her or something? News flash, pipsqueak, you ain't got much to look at," Schwartz intentionally raised his voice, ensuring that he got a rise out of Rowan. 

He got exactly what he asked for. Rowan tore down the sheet and tossed it on the floor, her face red from frustration. It was one thing being on the young man’s team; it was another to accept any further insults from him.

“And what do you mean by that, huh?!” Rowan yelled.

“Exactly as it sounds,” Schwartz nonchalantly answered.

“Settle down, you two. We’re a team now. We should start acting like it.” Watchet stepped in between his teammates. He knew the two of them didn’t get along. All they ever seemed to do within each other’s presence was argue. Hopefully, he could find a way to resolve their issues in the future.

“Like hell, I’m going to work alongside this psychopath much longer.” Rowan spat.

“Oh, because you’re such a joy to be around yourself,” Schwartz rolled his eyes.

“Your tiresome squabble irks me,” A low, gruff tone came from the final waking member of the team, Zorina. “Be silent. Unless you wish for me to open the void of darkness and claim your souls as sustenance.”

“Did…did she threaten us?” Rowan inquired, still unsure about how to handle Zorina’s odd choice of dialogue. It was one thing after another with her teammates. They’d drive her to the edge of insanity if she continued to stay with them any longer.

“It appears so,” Watchet nodded.

“Hey, Dark Empress. What happened to your limiter?” Schwartz smirked and pointed to Zorina’s eyes.

Zorina reached up and touched her face, realizing that she didn’t have her eyepatch on. She jumped out of bed in a panic and scrambled through her belongings.

Schwartz covered his mouth, resisting the urge to point and laugh at the frantic girl. He reached in his pocket and pulled out the girl’s eyepatch.

“Isn’t that?” Watchet asked.

“I may have stolen it from her last night before we went to bed,” Schwartz chuckled.

“Where is it? Where is it?! I can’t control my power without it!” Zorina desperately cried out. As if on command, darkness seeped from the girl’s body and began to creep its way toward the others.

“Quit messing around and give it to her!” Rowan snatched the eyepatch from Schwartz and quickly handed it back over to Zorina. It was too early in the morning to deal with the delusional girl’s antics. Almost immediately upon putting the eyepatch back on, the darkness vanished.

“Well done, my destined one,” Zorina thanked Rowan and struck a pose to show off her eyepatch. “If not for you, this entire school would’ve been lost in the depths of darkness for all eternity. This limiter is very sacred. This must never leave my sight for too long.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Rowan sighed and shook her head. How many brain cells had she lost staying in the same room with her team?

“Hey, Dark Empress, wrong eye.” Schwartz pointed out. Zorina blushed and quickly swapped the eyepatch over to the other eye. While her teammates continued to mess around, Rowan silently wandered out of the room.

Waking up alongside those idiots for the next four years wasn’t something she looked forward to. The mere thought of it nearly gave her an aneurysm as she wandered out of the building and into the courtyard. Dozens of students flooded the place. She couldn’t have that. She needed a secluded place to conduct her business.

Thankfully, Rowan found a spot out toward the garden. She made sure no one else was around as she slipped her earpiece on.

“Mari, you there?” Rowan asked.

“You know I am, sister,” Mari enthusiastically responded. It was undoubtedly a tone she didn’t expect to hear from her partner. Then again, it was thanks to her that she was trapped in Haven for the time being. “Rowan Cassidy, member of Team SWRZ. Never thought I’d see the day.”

Rowan gritted her teeth upon hearing Mari’s cackling. “Enough of your games, Mari! This is serious! I need some intel!”

“Got it, got it,” Mari ceased her laughter and readied her fingers for the keyboard. “Who do you need me to search for?”

“My teammates. Schwartz der Hund, Watchet Amin, and Zorina Teufel.” Rowan answered. If she was going to stick around those people, she wanted to know everything about them. Nothing was off-limits to her.

“Okay, let’s see…” Mari worked her magic on the keyboard, putting their names into her search engine. To the woman’s immediate shock, nothing came up. No prior records, no birth certificates, nothing of the sort to provide her client with any information. “Uhhhh, Rowan?”

“What is it? What did you find?”

“Nothing.” replied Mari, “There’s nothing on any of these people. It’s like they don’t exist.”

“What?! How is that possible?” Rowan exclaimed. “Rerun your search. There’s got to be something.”

“Don’t you think I’m already doing that? I’m telling you, Rowan. Nothing’s coming up,” Mari informed the impatient woman on the other end of the listening device.

“How’s that possible?”

“The best thing I can think of is that none of these people were born inside any of the kingdoms.” Mari surmised. Her search engines weren’t perfect. Her connections only reached to those within the confines of the kingdoms. Anything outside of that, she had nothing. Therefore, there was nothing the woman could provide Rowan about her teammates.

“Great…” Rowan heaved a sigh. It was one irritation after another. Trapped in Haven with a bunch of strangers wasn’t her most ideal situation. “Please tell me you have some information on Duncan.”

“Yeah, he’s still in custody. No word on any transfers or trials right now.” Mari answered. Thankfully, there was at least some information that she could give her partner in crime.

“What’s taking them so long?” Rowan inquired. Haven’s justice system wasn’t that messed up, was it?

“I don’t know, but you don’t have to worry. You could try and learn a thing or two about Huntsmen while you’re there.”

“No, no!” Rowan shook her head. She didn’t give a damn if she had to hide out at Haven for the time being. She’d be damned if she was forced to attend classes. "I'm not planning on learning anything from the people that dropped me from an airship into a forest of death!"

“Oh, come on, it wasn’t all bad. You managed to survive, didn’t you?” Mari asked, taking the situation extremely lightly. She wasn’t much of a field operative. Therefore, she never experienced the adrenaline of battle, the fear of death, the pain of receiving damage.

It was because of that disconnect that Mari would never understand the real dangers of being a Huntsman. Rowan didn’t want any part of that life. It was safer to steal and hide than fight. Even if she’d have to defend herself, that’s what her semblance was for.

“Barely. Look, I’ve got to go, Mari. Contact me when you find something about Duncan.” Rowan removed her earpiece and headed off away from the building. Classes weren’t her thing, so she wouldn’t bother attending.

Meanwhile, her teammates, Schwartz, Watchet, and Zorina, went through their school schedule without much complaint. They followed the instructions left on the pamphlets passed out by the instructors. Watchet was the only one on the team that kept his. Schwartz tossed his aside within seconds of receiving it while Zorina lost hers in the shuffle of her stuff.

Haven Academy Schedule:

7:30 a.m. – Breakfast

8:00 a.m. – Weapon Maintenance and Upkeep, Professor Lilith Hale

9:45 a.m. – Botany, Professor Denver Grant

11:15 a.m. – Survival Training, Professor Lilith Hale

12:30 p.m. – Lunch

1:30 p.m. – History of Remnant, Professor Clancy Armstrong

2:45 p.m. – Battlefield Strategy, Professor Lilith Hale

3:35 p.m. – Combat Training, Professor Lilith Hale

4:00 p.m. – Sparring

5:00 p.m. – Stealth and Patrol, Professor Clementine Patel

6:00 p.m. – Dinner

“What’s the next class, Watchet?” Schwartz asked, lazily following his teammate.

“Sparring,” Watchet answered. “Professor Lilith Hale will oversee the class.”

“Oh, sweet, something fun.” Schwartz cracked his knuckles. The only classes he found enjoyable revolved solely around either weapons development, survival training, or combat. Every other class, he’d find himself nodding off—Watchet being the only reason he managed to stay awake so far.

“Has no one noticed the sudden disappearance of our fourth member?” Zorina asked. The entire day the young woman felt uneasy. Neither Schwartz nor Watchet seemed concerned about Rowan’s absence from the team. That didn’t sit right with her. If they were to be a team, then they’d have to stick together.

“Oh, I noticed. I don’t care.” Schwartz blatantly revealed. It was no secret that he and Rowan didn’t get along. Throughout the entire trial, all the students did was argue and bicker. If the runt didn’t plan on sticking around with the team, then it was no skin off his nose.

“You should, Schwartz,” Watchet scolded. “She’s our teammate, after all.”

“What if she’s in trouble?” Zorina asked.

“I doubt that. We’re in school. The only real way to get in trouble here would be skipping classes,” Schwartz assumed. Either way, the absence of Rowan wasn’t any concern of his. The young man and the rest of his team followed the other students into the next room.

Professor Lilith Hale stood proudly in the center. Everything about her confident posture spoke volumes to Schwartz.

The instructor reminded him so much of Bruna the first time they met all those years ago. Schwartz and his teammates sat in the front row while the other students selected their seats. The young man couldn’t wait to see how the sparring lesson would play out. He enjoyed anything that allowed him to prove his strength and talent over others. It was a habit that no one could get rid of.

“Welcome class to your first sparring lesson,” Lilith began with the class. She pulled out her scroll and turned it on. With a press of a button, a large monitor descended from the ceiling. “Now, I know you’ve all had a modicum of combat experience. Whether it has been from previous Huntsmen schools or your trials out in the forest. Either way, it’s time to improve your skills as combatants. Combat skills are essential to becoming a great Huntsmen or Huntress. What's the point in trying to protect the people if you can't fight?”

Schwartz sneered at the teacher’s comment. He saw himself as the strongest person in the class. He’s experienced combat for almost his entire life. Compared to the other students in the class, they couldn’t hold a candle to him.

Lilith spotted the arrogant look on Schwartz’s face and smirked. Excellent. She had her first victim of the day. “Do any of you students fancy yourselves as top-class fighters?”

Indistinct mutters spread across the room. Immediate confusion and uncertainty crossed the minds of the students as they tried to decipher the true meaning behind the woman’s words. Honestly, it was a simple question that had a simple answer. And only one student provided that answer.

“Yeah, I do,” Schwartz raised his hand, nominating himself in front of everyone. All eyes fell on the young man. “You saw the footage of the trial, didn’t you? I’m sure you’ve noticed my skills.”

“Indeed, you are quite skilled in combat, Mr. Schwartz,” Lilith responded. “When you’re fighting against the creatures of Grimm that are notorious for having a one-tracked mind. However, how do you think you’ll fare against a more sentient opponent? One that’s capable of quick-thinking and adaptability?”

“Easy. I’ll beat ‘em.” Schwartz scoffed.

“Very well, then. Prove it,” Lilith challenged. She stepped aside and gestured for the young man to enter onto the stage. Schwartz wasted little time. He leaped from his seat and landed in the center of the ring.

“Alright, which one of the losers in the stands is gonna be my opponent?” Schwartz scanned the classroom for potential opponents. No one of worth caught the man’s interest. Regardless of who the teacher selected, they’d find themselves beaten.

“I’ll be your opponent,” Lilith answered, prompting jeers from the other students. The instructor pressed several buttons on her scroll, activating the Energy Dust to erect a barrier around the ring. Afterward, images of Lilith and Schwartz appeared on the monitor hanging above their heads. Below those images were their aura levels.

“Well, this is interesting…” Schwartz smirked. His body trembled in excitement. A fight against an instructor on his second day of school wasn’t something he planned, but he wasn’t complaining. What better way to prove his dominance than beating one of the top dogs of the academy?

“We’ll spar against one another until one of our aura levels drops to critical,” Lilith indicated to the aura levels on the screen.

“That shouldn’t be too hard,” Schwartz unsheathed his swords and took an offensive stance. He already knew of the instructor’s semblance. Unfortunately, he hadn’t deduced a way to counter its effects. Also, he hadn’t any knowledge of Lilith’s fighting style or her weapon.

“Don’t confuse confidence with arrogance,” Lilith warned him as she slipped her scroll in her back pocket.

“Be careful, Schwartz!” Watchet called out to his team leader.

“That one’s power far exceeds those of average mortals!” Zorina added.

“Yeah, thanks for the warning. But I got this,” Schwartz dismissed their concerns.

“Do you?” Lilith tilted her head to the side.

“Where are your weapons?” Schwartz asked.

“Don’t need them. Not for you,” Lilith taunted. “Now then, are you ready?”

Schwartz tightened his grip on his swords and dashed toward the instructor, not even giving her the chance to start the sparring match officially.


	16. End of The First Day!

The sparring match didn't go as Schwartz der Hund initially planned. Throughout his tenure as a bandit, he'd fought against several Huntsmen and Huntresses. There were some tough calls here and there, but he managed to defeat most of his opponents. He thought with all of that experience; he'd be able to defeat a measly Huntsmen instructor.

Boy, was he wrong?

Lilith far exceeded his expectations. Even without a weapon in her possession, her hand-to-hand combat prowess was more than enough to throw Schwartz for a loop. All of his attacks were rendered useless against that woman. Even when he used his Semblance to throw the instructor off her game, nothing worked.

Five minutes hadn't even passed, and yet Schwartz found himself sweating bullets and short of breath. It was perhaps one of the first times in his life that he didn't know how to proceed with the battle. His eyes wandered to the monitor above their heads. His aura levels were less than half while Lilith had plenty to spare.

"Don't take your eyes off your opponent," Lilith warned the distracted student. However, she only delivered that warning after she struck Schwartz in the stomach with a sharp kick. The poor boy flew back until he collided into the Energy Dust barrier. He slumped to the floor, dropping his swords in the process.

"Do you think our leader can handle this?" Zorina Teufel whispered over to her teammate, Watchet Amin.

"The result of this match is already decided," Watchet assured her. It wasn't a secret that Schwartz was headstrong and reckless. He learned that from personally teaming up with him while out in the forest. As dangerous as traits like that were to the team, it wasn't something that would go away so quickly. Watchet took a mental note to work on that part of Schwartz slowly.

"And that concludes that little lesson," Lilith announced as she used her Scroll to disable the Energy Dust barrier. "Can anyone tell me the flaws in Schwartz's approach during the sparring match?"

The first student to raise their hand was Watchet. 

"Yes?" Lilith pointed him out.

"Schwartz possessed no tact in the match," Watchet bluntly started, ignoring the glare he received from the person in question. "He recklessly charged in without assessing the situation, nor the capabilities of his opponent. He was hopeless from the beginning, yet his arrogance blinded him to the possibility of his inevitable defeat."

"Correct," Lilith nodded her head in praise to the student's analytical mindset. There was a future for a perceptive student like him. "No matter how strong the Huntsmen or Huntress, never allow your hubris to cloud your judgment. Had Schwartz done that from the beginning, he would have realized that he had no hope of winning? Always remember that there will always be someone or something out there that's better than you."

Schwartz wouldn't admit it, but he took that lesson to heart. After his loss, he collected his swords and returned to his seat, keeping quiet for the rest of the class as Lilith continued with the sparring lessons. Eventually, the bell rang, and the students slowly departed for their next courses.

"Are you coming?" asked Watchet as he and Zorina stood by the exit.

"I'll catch up," Schwartz dismissed his teammates with a small wave of his hand. Once they were gone, the young man left his seat and wandered over to Lilith.

"Something you need, Schwartz?" The black-haired instructor asked.

"Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"Here," Lilith bluntly answered while she collected her supplies for the next class.

"Bullshit," Schwartz called her out. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but her fighting style reminded him so much of Bruna. Sure, Lilith carried herself a bit more elegantly, but there was a strange hint of wildness, perhaps savagery in there as well.

"No swearing in school," The instructor demanded. "If you're interested in my fighting style, then I'll gladly teach you by knocking you around the ring some more tomorrow."

Schwartz was left practically speechless as the woman confidently strode out of the room. That sudden show of arrogance provided an air of mystery around her, one that Schwartz couldn't wait to uncover. Perhaps his next four-years at Haven Academy wouldn't be so bad after all.

The rest of the day passed without much incident. Schwartz, Watchet, and Zorina convened at the cafeteria for dinner, collecting their plates and grabbing a table. For their first day of class, it wasn't all bad. Most of them learned a lot that day, and they couldn't wait to learn more. 

"I'm concerned about the whereabouts of my destined one," Zorina suddenly sulked as she picked at her food with a fork. Ever since Rowan abandoned the team earlier in the day, no one had seen her anywhere. The poor girl wanted to skip classes and search for her, but she didn't want a bad reputation on her first day of class.

"Yes, it concerns me as to why she has not shown her face at all," Watchet chipped in. Not even twenty-four hours passed since the four students became a team. After one day, one of their members refuses to be a part of it? Granted, the circumstances regarding their formation wasn't the most ideal. But, they were a team regardless. They had to stick together, no matter what.

"Does it even matter?" Schwartz showed no such concern for Rowan. "If the runt doesn't wanna stick around with us, then let her go. We don't need her around."

"Leader," Zorina called out to Schwartz. "You shouldn't utter such foolish words. Rowan is our partner, bond to us by--"

"Shut up," Schwartz demanded, not having any tolerance for any of Zorina's ramblings. Couldn't he enjoy his food in peace without his annoying teammates bothering him? 

"Hey guys," A familiar voice reached the ears of Team SWRZ. Watchet and Zorina turned their heads, spotting two members of Team WEIS approaching the table. Emma Nance and Sunil Ambrus sat across from the opposing team and flashed bright smiles. 

"Hello," Watchet was the first person to return the greeting. Schwartz and Zorina, however, weren't comfortable with rolling out the welcome mat.

"What do you guys want?" Schwartz pointed his fork at the intruding students. It was bad enough that his teammates annoyed him to no end, so he couldn't imagine what opposing teams would do to his temper.

"Nothing much," Sunil answered.

"I wanted to see the student that got his ass kicked firsthand by one of the instructors today," Emma chimed in. Yup, Schwartz could already feel the veins on his forehead. It was one thing to take and accept a loss from the teacher, but he wouldn't take smack talk from anyone else.

"Word travels fast," Watchet chuckled. 

"Dude, what did you expect would happen?" Emma focused on Schwartz as she continued, "Instructors are professional Huntsmen. We're students. No matter how tough you think you are, they've got tons of experience over us."

"I would advise learning from that experience," Sunil suggested. Learning from defeat was a wise way to further develop and grow in life. Those that refused to accept failure as a way of life were doomed to lives of falsehood and obscurity.

"Yeah, I've learned a lot," Schwartz responded with a roll of his eyes. He collected his tray of food and left the table without another word.

"So, how's it going with your team's first day?" Watchet broke the awkward silence that followed after Schwartz's departure. 

"Average, I'd say," Emma shrugged her shoulders. Nothing worth noting happened on their first day of classes. Not as exciting as their team leader picking fights with one of the instructors. Instead, Wei Tian, the leader of Team WEIS, remained silent as usual. He diligently followed the class schedules and exceeded in the courses. Emma and Sunil weren't slacking either in that department.

The only one that fell behind in the academic portion of classes was Ilma Aden--the well-known slacker of the team. Often lazy and uncooperative, the young girl spent most of her time falling asleep in classes. By the unfortunate luck of the draw, Sunil was tasked with keeping his partner in line. Wei and Emma didn't want to get kicked out of the school because of Ilma's unwillingness to put in the effort.

"It's our first day of classes, I'm sure as time passes we'll get to the more challenging courses," Sunil assured the students. He was confident that almost all of the first-year students wanted to get out there and slay Grimm as soon as possible. But recklessness only got people like that so far in life. They had to take their studies and training seriously. Slow and steady. That's what he believed.

Soon enough, dinner time was over, and the students were free to do as they pleased for the next few hours until lights out. Watchet bid farewell to Emma and Sunil before him, and Zorina returned to their dorm room. Unfortunately, neither Schwartz or Rowan was there.

"Where could they have gone?" Zorina whined.

"No idea," Watchet looked around the room for any clues. Nothing seemed disrupted. The room had been empty for hours. "Well, those two are quite the mysterious ones of the team."

"Are you claiming that the Empress of Darkness isn't mysterious?" Zorina suddenly boasted, flourishing her jacket while striking an eccentric pose. 

Watchet could only smirk in response, finding it somewhat comforting that the young woman returned to her usual bizarre behavior. The day didn't exactly go as he planned, but things could've been worse. The team wasn't off to the best start. Splitting off on their first day as a team wasn't the best way to go about things. But they had plenty of time to work on building their relationships. They had to if the team was going to survive the cruel world of Remnant. 


	17. Cold Facts!

Four weeks passed since the beginning of the semester. It was safe to say that the first-year students grew quite comfortable with their lifestyle at Haven Academy. The students strengthened their bonds with their teammates, made friends with other students, and overall grew in such a short timespan. Unfortunately, Team SWRZ inclusion within that category wasn't an option. Unlike some of the other teams, this particular group proved quite challenging to function as a unit.

Individually, they were impressive in their own right.

The leader of the team, Schwartz der Hund, possessed extraordinary talent in combat. But he suffered due to his arrogance, recklessness, and lack of leadership. Always one to act first without properly thinking anything through.

Watchet Amin, many people considered him the brains of the outfit. His knowledge served him well in all his classes. A model student that the instructors loved. However, the young man's will wasn't as developed as others believed. Often found following orders from his superiors, despite knowing whether or not they were wrong.

Rowan Cassidy, the runt of the team, was never taken seriously due to her short stature and loudmouth. Those that dared to underestimate her quickly found themselves with dust rounds between their eyes. Her problem was with authority. Never one to take orders, Rowan often diverted from rules or regulations. If she weren't the one in charge, then she'd go out on her own.

Zorina Teufel, the charismatic enigma of the team, no one could ever get a complete read on the young woman. Often spouting nonsense, but backing up her words with her impressive show of athleticism and brute strength. Focusing was her main weakness. Always caught up in her head, she's never fully aware of the dangers around her.

Today was another rough day for the team as they found themselves in a sparring match against a rival group, Team WEIS. Ever since the trial, the two sides often competed against one another. Team WEIS proved themselves superior every single time, much to the chagrin of Schwartz.

The black-haired Huntsmen in training swayed to the left as his teammate Zorina got sent flying into the nearest wall, courtesy of Team WEIS' muscle, Sunil Ambrus. The man was as large as a mountain but could move with the swiftness of the wind. Schwartz quickly checked the scroll strapped to his arm. On the screen showed detailed charts of his aura, along with his teammates. They were on the losing end. Schwartz planned to change that.

He activated his Semblance, allowing him to glide effortlessly around Sunil. His main target was the leader of the opposing team, Wei Tian. The White Tiger Faunus had grown far too arrogant ever since their first bout. All Schwartz wanted to do was wipe that smirk off the young man's face, no matter what the cost.

"Schwartz! We need to regroup!" Watchet called out. As usual, his desperate shouts fell on deaf ears. Schwartz didn't give a damn about his teammates. If they couldn't handle their own in battle, then what good were they? If he had to defeat the enemy team alone, then that's what he'd do. For weeks the instructors stressed the importance of teamwork, but his teammates were useless.

Schwartz and Wei clashed again, neither man giving an inch. The other competitors gave as much space as they could to avoid getting caught up in their scuffle.

Watchet's eyes trained on the White Tiger Faunus. If he didn't do anything, Schwartz and Wei would drag the match out. When he figured he'd timed it right, Watchet lashed his sword toward the student, only to have his sword intercepted by Emma Nance. The martial arts specialist redirected the blade into the ground, leaving Watchet unprotected when he found a fist slamming into his stomach.

"Shit!" Rowan cursed as another one of her teammates went down. With Watchet and Zorina out of the fight and Schwartz busy with Wei, the poor young woman was left to defend herself against three opponents. Or, at least that would've been her main problem if not for Ilma Aden. Known as the laziest of her team, Ilma proved herself quite the capable combatant when forced. 

Every bullet Rowan fired at the girl, she would easily deflect it with her knives. If by some miracle, the opponent dropped her blade, she'd retrieve another from her armory within her coat. Soon enough, Rowan found herself pinned to the wall by a dozen knives piercing her clothes.

The rest of the match went without a hitch for Team WEIS. Schwartz fought as hard as he could, but he couldn't defeat the well-functioning team of students. Unlike Team SWRZ, no words needed speaking between them. Each team member knew what to do, which eventually resulted in their victory.

The familiar buzzer rang throughout the room, alerting everyone to the end of the match. Haven Instructor Lilith Hale approached the stage, casually applauding the students on their job well done.

"Good job, students. That will be all," Lilith cleared the ring of the students, leaving no further comments about the fight itself. She didn't need to. The students would assess their successes and failures on their own. With that out of the way, she continued with the class.

* * *

"God damn it!" Schwartz stormed back into the dorm room after another troublesome day at school. It was bad enough that his academic grades were suffering, but he never expected the same to happen for his combat scores. His defeat earlier only proved that his teammates were useless. He didn't need their help to kill Huntsmen in the future. "What the hell was that back there?!"

"What did it look like, idiot? We lost, plain and simple." Rowan accepted the turn of events with complaints. She returned to her bed, taking that moment to sit back and relax. To her, it was another dull day at school.

"And you're fine with that?!" Schwartz raised his voice, not understanding how Rowan could be so lax about their defeat. In his world, combat was a matter of life and death. Had the team been out in the field, Team WEIS could've ended their lives.

"What's the big deal? We lost, so what?" Rowan dismissed Schwartz's anger. She couldn't take the situation seriously. Rowan didn't plan on sticking around much longer anyway. What did she care about some dumb school? The only reason she even started to attend classes recently was due to her friend, Marie, blackmailing her.

"We didn't come here to lose," Watchet interjected. While he didn't show much rage physically as Schwartz did, his harsh tone did that for him. "It has been four weeks, and we are not performing diligently as a team should."

"And you're suggesting that it's my fault?" Rowan jumped to conclusions. While it was true she never intended to be in a team in the first place; she believed she pulled her weight.

"No, we lost as a team. We are all at fault for our defeat," Watchet shook his head. "We lost today, and we will continue to lose unless we work together."

"We don't need to work together; you guys just need to get stronger," blurted Schwartz. "I'm getting tired carrying this team on my back."

"Carrying this team?" Rowan scoffed. Like hell, that's what he was doing. "If that's what you called 'carrying this team,' then maybe I should be the leader instead."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Exactly as it sounds," continued Rowan with pure spite. "Due to your 'leadership,' we've suffered failure after failure. If you can't properly lead a team, then you should step down and let someone capable step forward."

"And you think that someone is you?" Schwartz fought back the urge to laugh in the young woman's face. It was perhaps the most absurd suggestion he'd ever heard from Rowan. There was no way Schwartz planned to step down from the leader position. By some twist of fate that he did, then he'd rather Watchet lead instead.

"It should be," Rowan proclaimed. The only other person on the team with an apparent sign of intelligence was Watchet, but he refused to speak up most of the time. The team needed someone with brains and balls to put their foot down. That person was none other than Rowan herself. "You're not a leader. You rush ahead in combat without consulting with your teammates. You expect us to know what you're thinking and bend to your every reckless whim."

"Oh, so now you're suddenly Ms. team player? Where have you been for the past couple of weeks? You've been skipping classes, going out into the town late at night, you show no interest or drive in any of the classes," Schwartz counted Rowan's actions on his fingers.

"What does that matter? I can still lead a team better than you since I still communicate!"

"Stop it, both of you!" Watchet stepped in between the quarreling students. Secretly, he was glad that they were airing their dissatisfaction, but they were missing the point of the conversation. "The leader of the team is not up for debate. The Headmaster chose Schwartz as our leader, and it shall stay that way. What we need to discuss is how we will grow from here."

"Growing's impossible with him leading us," Rowan mumbled.

"I don't have time for this," Schwartz collected his swords and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Watchet inquired.

"I'm going to train some more. Since you three are useless, I'll have to get stronger for all of us,"

"Idiot! That's not going to work!" Rowan yelled.

"Watch," Schwartz left the room with only that as a response.

"That guy's a moron! Why did they pick him as team leader?!" groaned Rowan as she fell back into the comfort of her bed. Dealing with Schwartz, hell, the entire school even was a pain in the ass. She couldn't wait for the day when she'd get to leave the wretched place behind.

"The ruler of the school chose him," Zorina decided to speak, referring to Headmaster Lionheart. Whenever her teammates argued, it was a subconscious instinct to keep quiet, brought onto her by her family. Her parents fought often, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

With every argument Zorina witnessed between her teammates, it resembled her home far too much. She came to Haven to escape from that awful place.

"Yeah, well, it's not like Schwartz has to lord over us as he does," Rowan followed up with a roll of her eyes.

"He is our leader," stated Watchet.

"Leader, not our boss," Rowan pressed the issue even further. "We don't have to follow his every command."

"I agree, however, disobeying every command will do more harm than good." Watchet counter received a sharp click of the tongue from Rowan. The young woman found some truth to his statement. "If we want to make it as a team, we must communicate. That is our main problem at this moment."

Rowan and Zorina exchanged glances, having already reached the same conclusion as Watchet. Team SWRZ wouldn't last long without communication. Hell, no proper team ever prospered without connection or at least forming some bond. With great reluctance, Rowan sat up from her bed and decided to speak with her teammates.

* * *

Meanwhile, Schwartz roamed through the school courtyard, mumbling several swears about his teammates. 

Useless.

That's all they were to him. Sure, the team had some talent since they survived the trial. But if they couldn't obey simple commands, then they were worthless to him. What good were teammates that couldn't keep up with their leader?

Deadweight.

That's what they were.

If they were in his bandit tribe, they'd be long dead and tossed aside in a ditch somewhere. Mistral had plenty of places to hide bodies.

"What are you doing out here so late?" A feminine voice suddenly reached Schwartz's ears from behind.

The young man quickly spun around, unsheathing his sword and swiping it at the figure in a smooth motion. The blade stopped abruptly, mere inches away from the figure's face. Schwartz looked at his hand, finding his wrist restrained by the enemy. He looked up at the front of his captor and saw that it was Lilith.

"Oh, it's just you." Schwartz sighed in relief, not because it was Lilith, but instead, he wasn't responsible for the death of an instructor. Had it been any other person, he was confident their head would be on the pavement. When the young student tried to sheath his sword, he found he couldn't escape from the Huntresses' grasp.

"You've got some guts, attacking an instructor like that," Lilith nonchalantly commented. However, her tone was all too frightening. One that Schwartz couldn't ignore. "You're due for some punishment,"

The Huntress tightened her hold on Schwartz's wrist, forcing the poor student to drop his weapon. With him disarmed, he was defenseless against the beatdown Lilith provided. Next thing Schwartz knew, he was down on the ground with his swords pierced through his jacket, keeping him pinned there.

The only good side of that situation was that he got a good view of the night sky.

"Was all that even necessary?" Schwartz complained, noticing that Lilith took a seat right next to him, lighting up a cigarette.

"Kept you still, didn't it?" Lilith responded, blowing a puff of smoke into the air. "Alright, what's eating you?"

"Huh?"

"You and your teammates have been in a bad mood recently. Don't try and deny it,"

"They won't be my teammates for much longer if they keep showing piss poor performances like earlier," Schwartz callously mentioned. "If they lose like that out in the field, they'll be Grimm food."

Lilith sat there in silence, continuing to listen to the young man complain about his teammates. It wasn't until he aired out all his grievances did the woman finally give a response, albeit a harsh one. "You're a pretty selfish brat; you know that?"

"Brat?!" Schwartz frowned. If there's one thing he wouldn't allow the woman to call him, a brat was it.

"That's right. I've listened to you bitch and moan about your teammates, but you've never mentioned any of your mistakes. Your failures." Lilith pointed out. "You've been here for over a month, and you're still the same arrogant, cocky little brat. You're treating this Huntsmen business like a playground as if this is all some big game for you."

Schwartz couldn't refute her statement. Precisely, that's how he saw it. Haven was a mere stepping stone he'd use to harness his skills further.

"Well..."

"You look down on others, especially your teammates, deeming them so worthless that you try and do everything on your own. How'd that work out for you when you went against Team WEIS?" Lilith recalled to the sparring match from earlier. "Individually, most students in this school possess notable skill, but that doesn't mean anything when the odd's are stacked against you. That's why Huntsmen Academies stress the importance of teamwork."

Schwartz gritted his teeth, recalling the memory of his failure to defeat Team WEIS on his own. Perhaps one-on-one, he'd stand a better chance against them. But the world didn't work like that most of the time. Whenever he went out on bandit raids, the odds were never in favor of his enemies.

"But you're pretty strong by yourself," Schwartz noted. He wouldn't say it aloud, but he respected the hell out of Lilith. She was beautiful and reliable, the kind of woman he'd love to have as a wife in the future if she were a bit younger.

"You think I got this strong alone?" Lilith scoffed at the notion. "People can only get so strong alone. It's not until I joined a team that I reached a whole new level in strength."

"Where's your team then?" Schwartz asked.

"That's a story for another time," Lilith refused to answer, taking another drag from her cigarette. "Know this, as your team is now, you'd all be Grimm food if you were all out in the field. At the moment, you're a failure as a team leader. Those that put themselves before the team are worthless, and eventually get what's coming to them," Lilith continued to lay down the cold, hard truth on the downed student. It was something she felt he needed to hear. "Instead of blaming your team, perhaps you should look more into yourself. You're the team leader, after all. None of you will get any better if you don't communicate."

With that said, Lilith removed the blades pinning Schwartz to the ground, freeing him. She returned his swords and wandered off without another word, having said everything that wanted to tell him. Schwartz sheathed his swords and stared at the ground, soaking in the conversation.

Perhaps Schwartz needed to take a different approach with his teammates. It was never his intention to form a team in the first place, but then again, many things happened in his life that he didn't consider. It was difficult, but he swallowed his pride and headed back to the door to speak with the others.


	18. Team Building!

After his talk with instructor Lilith Hale; Schwartz der Hund headed back to his dorm room to speak with his teammates. He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say to them. An apology was out of the equation. Sure, he wasn't one hundred percent right about everything he said to them, but he wasn't entirely wrong either. Regardless, the moment wouldn't be any less awkward for the team.

Bruna had taught him many things about being a leader. One rule she beat into his head was never to apologize, as it showed weakness and regret. The motto of the bandit tribe was to live life; however, one wanted, with no fears or regrets. He took that lesson to heart and always did as he pleased.

Perhaps that wasn't the best way to live out his days as a Huntsmen in training. He didn't doubt Bruna's words or teaching, but he'd at least play the nice guy for the next four years. Afterward, he'd leave his "teammates" behind and never deal with them again. That's a day he couldn't wait to see.

When the young man returned to the door, his teammates weren't too ecstatic to see him again for obvious reasons. Rowan got up from her bed and pulled the curtain to cover hers, and Zorina's side of the room. Maybe one day she'd install a soundproof wall to separate the room as she wanted. Then again, she'd stay trapped with Zorina's incessant rambling.

"This is a surprise," Watchet retrieved his shades from the desk and put them on his face. He stared at his leader and smiled. He couldn't quite explain it, but Schwartz had a different air about him. "It's odd having you back at the dorm at a reasonable hour."

"I talked with Lilith," Schwartz dismissed Watchet's comments. He didn't come back to the dorm to argue with his teammates again. That time, he wanted to avoid that outcome.

"Instructor Lilith?" Watchet blinked in surprise. Had his team leader sought out the advice of an instructor? Perhaps Schwartz was taking a step forward in the right direction after all.

"Yeah, she knocked some sense into me," Schwartz wandered over to his bed and took a seat on the mattress.

"Hmph, that'll be the day," Rowan scoffed, making her doubts about the young man's statement crystal clear. She believed it'd take more than a conversation for Schwartz to learn his lesson.

"Just shut up and listen, okay?" Though Schwartz's words seemed harsh, his tone was soft and somewhat pleasant. Rowan sat up from her bed and pushed the curtain aside. "I may not have been the best team leader as of late, but I want to try and fix that issue."

When those words left his mouth, Watchet, Rowan, and Zorina surrounded him. It was the first time they'd ever hear their team leader admit some fault or guilt in his "leadership" tactics or tendencies. They attentively listened as Schwartz continued to speak. It was perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Watchet was perhaps the happiest out of the team. He was Schwartz's partner, after all. He presumed it would take months for the wild man to realize his faults as a leader. Thankfully, that time came a lot sooner than he expected. Team SWRZ was capable of change.

"What do you have in mind?" Watchet decided to test the newfound change in his team leader.

"I'd like to start with communication," Schwartz answered straightforwardly, shocking his teammates even more. The Huntsmen in training took Lilith's advice to heart. If he were to learn and get stronger, he'd need to put some trust, his faith into the others. It would take some time, but hopefully, it'd be time well worth the wait. "We've been a team for more than a month, and I hardly know anything about you guys."

That was one of the main issues with Team SWRZ. Half of the members refused to engage with others. Watchet and Zorina would try and deepen their relationships with their partners, only for their efforts to go to waste.

That had to end.

"It's about time you finally opened your ears and decided to listen for once," Rowan snidely remarked. She was one of the first members of the team to suggest getting to know one another. However, it wasn't for friendly reasons such as bettering her relationship with them.

No, not by a long shot.

Rowan wanted any information she could gather from her teammates. No matter how many databases her friend, Mari Gould, went through, nothing appeared over their names. Who were these people she was allying herself?

"I'll admit, it's surprising to hear all this stuff come from you," Watchet sheepishly commented. Sure, he received a sharp glare from his team leader, but it was the truth nonetheless.

"Well, we have to do something for this team to work." Schwartz sighed. It was going to be a long and tiresome process, but perhaps Team SWRZ would come out on top by the end of everything. The stronger the team got, the stronger he'd become in the future. That's what he sought.

As discussed, the members of Team SWRZ spent the majority of the night talking.

* * *

Days passed since their talks, and Team SWRZ showed a drastic change in performance. Thanks to team-building exercises, personally constructed by Watchet, the team showed decent progress. The animosity between Schwartz and Rowan reared its ugly head from time to time. But what team never fought once in a while?

The day of class started as usual, but only with a slight alteration. Professor Lilith Hale led a group of students out into the forest. Some of the students shuddered at the thought of returning to the dangerous place that nearly cost them their lives.

Schwartz and Rowan showed no such signs of discomfort or fear. If anything, they were in their comfort zone. The forest wasn't much of a problem. Instead, it was what lurked inside it that bothered them.

The class set out for an assignment, one issued to them by the lovely instructor. The goal was to scavenge the forest, collect the listed materials, and slay some Grimm before returning. The only catch was that no full teams were out there with the students. Only two members from each team got selected to participate in the assignment. The others were back at Haven studying.

Schwartz and Rowan were the "lucky" ones that got their names drawn for the assignment. No matter how much they protested, no one bothered to swap places with them. So, the two begrudgingly wandered around the forest in hopes of completing their tasks as soon as possible.

Sure, as a team, the group improved, but their relationships as individuals didn't grow so much. Out of the team, Schwartz and Rowan bickered back and forth constantly. A single day couldn't go by without them getting at each other's throats. Schwartz was wild and reckless, never truly having a plan and relying on his instincts to get the job done. Meanwhile, Rowan was strategic and insightful, always wanting to have a plan before committing to an action. Two opposite people teaming together would no doubt result in a troublesome situation.

It was only a matter of time until they lost it.

"Okay, let's go over the list again," Rowan suggested as she walked behind Schwartz. The team leader swiped his sword around, carefully clearing a path for both of them. "We've collected berries, herbs, saplings..."

"This feels more like we're grocery shopping for the school," Schwartz complained. Nothing about the material-gathering portion of the assignment excited him. He wanted to go and slay as many Grimm as he could while Rowan handled the boring stuff. However, it was against the rules to abandon teammates throughout the assignment. Therefore, he was stuck with her.

Thankfully, it was only a matter of time until the two would get to the fun part.

"Hmmm, I guess we've collected all the supplies listed," Rowan announced and put the list away.

A wide grin appeared on the face of Schwartz. With the material-hunting portion over, it meant that they could hunt down the Grimm. It'd been about a week since the last time he fought against a creature of destruction, so he was looking forward to the exercise.

"Sweet! Then, let's get to some Grimm hunting!" Schwartz cheered.

"Yeah, yeah," Rowan sighed, knowing that tagging, along with the spontaneous team leader, would only do her more harm than good. But there was nothing she could do. Their agreement was collecting the items first, and then hunting the Grimm. Schwartz fulfilled his side of the deal. Now it was her turn. "Let's try not to pursue anything too dangerous. We don't want these materials getting damaged during the fight."

"Don't worry about it; I'll deal with the Grimm myself." Schwartz boasted.

"If it's just you, then I'm concerned for the safety of your partner," A familiar voice reached the ears of the students. Both of them showed immediate displeasure once the source of the sound revealed themselves to be members of Team WEIS. Wei Tian, the White Tiger Faunus, and Sunil Ambrus stepped out from the brush.

"Hello there, Rowan," Sunil happily waved at Rowan. The redhead refused to return the gesture.

"You two already finished collecting materials?" asked Rowan.

"And hunting the Grimm," Wei added, shooting Schwartz an arrogant smirk in the process. Schwartz wanted to wipe that look off the Faunus' face, but fighting amongst other students was prohibited.

"That was fast," Rowan noted the incredible speed of the team. "It hasn't even been an hour yet."

"Team WEIS is just that good," Sunil proudly boasted.

"Under my leadership, that is," Wei ensured that he planted that knowledge in the heads of the others. At the moment, Team WEIS was one of the most talked-about groups in Haven Academy. In their short timespan as a team, they've crushed several records and proved themselves quite formidable. And Wei believed it was all thanks to him.

With his leadership, Team WEIS would reign supreme and spread fear to all those that dared oppose them.

"How many Grimm have you killed?" Schwartz demanded an answer. No matter how many the opposing team slew, he would double, no, triple that number.

Rowan's face immediately turned pale once she spotted the fire in the young man's eyes. That wasn't a good sign. Schwartz was going to get them in trouble.

"I lost count after thirty," Sunil remarked. The pack of Beowolves, the flock of Nevermore's, the stampede of Boarbatusks, the den of King Taijitu's, and lastly the Death Stalker. Wei and Sunil were quite busying slaying the beasts.

"Ninety it is, then," Schwartz burned that number into his mind and stormed off in a random direction. Rowan gasped in shock and chased after the team leader, not wanting to have anything to do with hunting that many Grimm.

"Do you think they'll be able to do it?" Sunil wondered. He knew that Schwartz was pretty tough alone, but having Rowan at his side made things difficult. She wasn't noticeably active or even eager for battle like most of the students.

"Of course, not," Wei scoffed and wandered back to the extraction point along with his partner. He didn't doubt for a second that Team SWRZ would fail. They didn't have it in them to surpass their limits. None of them would succeed as Huntsmen in the future. In his eyes, they were better off dead.


	19. Blast From The Past!

Zorina Teufel heaved a heavy sigh for perhaps the fortieth time within the hour. Not that she counted, but one of her teammates, Watchet Amin, did. Thanks to the class assignment set up by Professor Lilith Hale, Team SWRZ got separated into odd pairings. Their respective partners were taken out into the forest while Zorina and Watchet stayed back at Haven Academy.

While the team improved fundamentally over the past couple of weeks, they still weren't necessarily close. Zorina, for example, didn't know how to communicate that well with Watchet. Since the two weren't partners, she never felt the need to interact with him that much. Watchet had an air of mystery around him, something that she wished she had while dressed up in her outfit. Something about the way he carried himself rubbed the young woman the wrong way.

His speech patterns, his excellent posture, hell, even his never-ceasing smile bothered her. No matter what happened, Watchet never showed many outward expressions of emotions. It was as if he wore a mask that would never leave his face.

That scared her.

Sure, Zorina wore a mask. But she felt that it wasn't to the extent of Watchet's. Zorina wore her mask to bring out another side of herself. Meanwhile, she determined that Watchet wore his to hide something far more sinister inside himself.

Oh, how much she missed hanging around Rowan. She couldn't wait for her partner to return so that Watchet could return to Schwartz. Somehow the males on the team were far more compatible despite their differences in personalities and possibly morals.

"You have been sighing a lot lately," Watchet noted as the pair headed for their next class. "Care to let me know what's on your mind?"

Perhaps the most caring member of Team SWRZ, Watchet, made it his mission to connect with his teammates on a personal level. Should a single member show any signs of distress, it wouldn't take long for Watchet to notice. It brought comfort and yet also discomfort to the others. More so Schwartz and Zorina.

"Oh...uh...y-y-you see...uh..." Zorina fumbled with her words, having a hard time holding a conversation with the young man. Even with the barriers known as the man's shades blocking off the windows to his soul, she couldn't make direct eye contact with him.

"Separation anxiety?" Watchet concluded, figuring he hit the nail right on the head once his teammate perked up. Zorina was an easy read for him. Her body language and expressions gave away almost precisely what she was thinking. "Worry not, Zorina. Schwartz and Rowan will be back right before you know it."

"What kinda assignment do ya think they're doing?" Watchet and Zorina turned their heads to the left, spotting classmates, Emma Nance and Ilma Aden from Team WEIS, approaching them.

"Your partners were chosen to participate, as well?" Watchet noted.

"Yeah, good riddance. Maybe I can do nothing all day for a change." Ilma brought her hand up to her mouth and yawned. As the laziest member of her group, Ilma found it pleasant that the team leader was gone. It meant that she could sneak out and skip classes without having to suffer through Wei's scoldings. Or so she thought. Even with the team leader absent, her teammate never allowed her to escape.

"Wei won't be happy if he hears you say that," Emma warned her teammate.

"What? You gonna tell him?" Ilma responded. "This is a gift. Everything's always so tense and serious whenever he's around. That guy needs to learn to relax."

"Or perhaps we all need to learn something from this..." Watchet brought his hand up to his chin, having taken the situation very seriously from the beginning. Out of all the teams, why choose separate partners? The answer was simple enough. "The instructors wish for us to deepen our relationships with the other members of our team that we are not perhaps familiar with."

"I'm already familiar enough with Ilma," Emma sighed as she reached out and grabbed the back of Ilma's jacket the moment the young woman tried to escape from the conversation. Watchet wished to say the same about Zorina, but that was far from the case. Despite his warm demeanor, she always avoided him. He couldn't imagine why. "We'll see you guys around,"

Emma dragged the reluctant Ilma to their next class.

"Amusing vessels..." Zorina muttered.

"Come along, Zorina. We should not keep the professors waiting," Watchet said. The silver-haired woman offered no resistance and followed after her teammate.

* * *

"On your left!" Rowan Cassidy called out to her partner, Schwartz der Hund, from the safety of a tall tree. The young Huntsman in training quickly dispatched the Ursa Grimm that tried to attack from his blind spot. While he had an impressive talent for combat, Rowan saw him as nothing more than a battle junkie—someone that thrived in chaos and mayhem. She doubted that Schwartz even cared about completing the class assignment as much as he wanted to kill the most Grimm.

From her perspective, Schwartz only saw the battlefield and nothing else. Perhaps his talk with Professor Lilith Hale didn't sink into his thick skull, after all.

She wasn't too far off the mark. Schwartz only saw the battlefield. However, he took no joy in fighting wave after wave of Grimm. Schwartz saw it as a chore instead. If not for the snide remarks made from Wei Tian earlier, he wouldn't have cared who killed the most Grimm in the assignment.

But since Wei always walked around like he was the best damn student in the entire school, Schwartz wanted to give that prick a reality check. He'd prove that White Tiger Faunus that he was far from the best. Not while he was around.

"Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen," Schwartz counted the number of Grimm he'd slain. He was losing precious daylight. At his pace, he'd never kill ninety by the end of the assignment.

"Schwartz, we should head back," Rowan dropped down from the tree, landing gracefully on her feet. She indicated to the descending sun with her finger. "The sun's going down. We should head back to the extraction point."

"Damn it!" Schwartz begrudgingly sheathed his swords. Every fiber of his being told him to continue. Staying inside the forest, killing more Grimm sounded enticing. But it wouldn't do him any good. That much he knew."I'll never hear the end of it from that Wei bastard!"

"What is it with the two of you? I'm all for healthy competition, but your desire to beat him is detrimental." Rowan stated. She was there when the two rivaling students first met one another. Sure, Rowan found Wei insufferable as well, but that didn't mean that she wanted to pick fights with him all the time. She essentially summed it up as a macho male kind of thing.

"That son of a bitch walks around like he's the best damn Huntsman in the school. I'm looking to prove that's me," Schwartz proudly pointed to himself.

Rowan rolled her eyes, having already expected the typical response from the unruly team leader. Hopefully, he'd graduate the academy and learn some humility. As Rowan saw it, both Schwartz and Wei were far from the best. They had talent, but their hubris would bring about their downfall. It was a lesson she learned a long time ago.

A lesson that she hoped they learned before it was too late.

"You're both first-year students. I believe the four-year students have quite a lead on both of you." Rowan snidely remarked, stopping in her tracks once she realized that she didn't recognize the area. "Schwartz, where are we?"

"In a forest," answered Schwartz. "You feeling okay?"

"No, I mean, wherein the forest are we? Does this place look familiar to you?"

"Not at all," Schwartz shook his head. It all looked the same to him: dirt, trees, rocks. Nothing out of the ordinary caught his attention.

"Shit! We're lost!" Rowan complained. "God damn it! Why must they always leave us trapped in forests?! What's with this school?!"

"You about done? Screaming and yelling won't do you any good," Schwartz noted.

He activated his semblance and ran towards the nearest tree. He slid across the trunk up to the top, where he then searched for any signs of the extraction point. He slid down and informed his teammate of his findings.

"Yeah, I found nothing," Schwartz casually reported, only increasing Rowan's irritation at the situation. As a bandit, growing accustomed to the wilderness was a given. But Rowan was a city girl. She needed civilization, electricity, running water--she couldn't survive out in the wild for long.

"Great! Great! This is like the trial all over again!" Rowan threw her hands up in the air, practically giving up on the spot. She'd had it with everything, the school, the forest, the Grimm, her team--it was all too much mental stress for the girl to bear.

"Calm down, and we'll be fine. I'm sure Lilith will fire some signal when she realizes that we're not back yet." Schwartz selfishly dismissed his teammate's worries and concerns. With the two of them together, he wasn't worried about anything out in the forest. He wasn't sure that if he was confident in their skills as a team, or only his as usual.

He took Lilith's advice to heart. He tried to deepen his relationship with his team, but some of their actions made it difficult for him to trust them. Out of all of them, Rowan caused him the most trouble. Something about her rubbed him the wrong way.

She's distant, untrusting, and uncooperative. She shows no desire to develop her skills as a Huntress despite attending Haven Academy. That raised a bunch of red flags with Schwartz.

He didn't care for her motivations for attending the academy. After all, he was there to learn how to kill Huntsmen. But as far as he saw it, Rowan wasn't there for any particular reason.

"Why are you here?" Schwartz suddenly asked.

"The professor's the one that told us to team up here, didn't she?" Rowan responded, ultimately confused by the sudden question.

"No, I'm talking about Haven," Schwartz clarified. "Why are you here?"

It was the dreadful question that Rowan hoped no one would ask her. She had no interest in the academy or even Huntsmen. She ditched classes, put no effort in the physical combat training, and often complained about being around anyone.

Thankfully, she had an answer just for the occasion.

"My parents forced me to come here," Rowan began stringing Schwartz along with her on a tall tale. "My family has ties in law enforcement, acting, and medical careers, etc...and now they want someone to become a Huntress. That duty fell onto me."

"You're not doing a very good job at that," Schwartz noted.

"Yeah, that's the point. I don't want to be a Huntress. I'm just gonna fail all my classes until I get kicked out of this place," Rowan told him. It was the perfect excuse for when she'd inevitably leave Haven Academy behind.

"What are you going to do then?" Schwartz inquired.

"What's it to you? I don't see how it's any of your business," Rowan shot down the young man's questions. Honestly, she'd had enough with the personal interrogation and wished to find the extraction point. "Now come on and let's get out of here,"

The young woman cut through a large bush and stepped out into an open space, spotting a pack of Beowolves in the area. Unfortunately, the monsters spotted her immediately and rushed her.

"Sweet! More fun!" Schwartz leaped into action and went at the Grimm like a mad dog unleashed from its chains. He activated his Semblance and glided across the battlefield, mercilessly cutting away at the beasts, laughing maniacally. Battle brought him so much enjoy.

It was when he exhibited wild and reckless behavior that Rowan found detestable in Huntsmen. People like him were no different from the Grimm. She sat back and watched her teammate dispatch most of the creatures.

However, a King Taijitu slithered its way behind Rowan without her knowledge. It quickly coiled around the young woman and kept her bound to a tree.

"S-S-Schwartz!" Rowan desperately called out, unable to seize her weapons while restrained.

"I'm coming!" Schwartz responded to the cry and rushed to her aid, but several more Grimm appeared and blocked his path. "Move it!" He cut through them without much issue, but that slowed him down in the process.

The King Taijitu bared its fangs and lunged at its prey. Rowan closed her eyes and braced for the hit.

"Scatter!" A voice suddenly rang throughout the area. Almost instantly, seven bullets rained down from the sky, leaving a trail of purple light as the projectiles whizzed by and struck down the remaining Grimm.

Once freed, Rowan slumped down to the ground. She caught her breath and retrieved her dual pistols from her sleeves in immediate preparation for a counterattack. But it never came.

The Grimm before her vanished into nothingness.

"You okay?" Schwartz came over and checked on his teammate's condition.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for saving me," Rowan brushed herself off.

"It wasn't me,"

"Then, who?"

"That honor goes to me," Schwartz and Rowan followed the sound of the sudden voice, eventually spotting the owner. The person stepped out into the moonlit area, much to Schwartz's shock and horror, it was a person that he recognized. It was none other than Wisteria, the sniper Huntress from Team PWTR.


	20. The Cruel Decision!

"Thanks for the assist back there," Rowan Cassidy expressed her gratitude as she followed after her savior, Max Wisteria. The licensed Huntress offered her services to guide the students back to the extraction point free of charge. Leaving them out in the forest teeming with Grimm didn't sit well with her, after all.

"No problem," Wisteria dismissed the girl's gratitude. She didn't deserve it. Saving the lives of others was the duty of Huntsmen. She didn't want any shows of thanks for doing her job. "Protecting people is what I do."

Schwartz der Hund fought off the urge to scoff at the woman's statement, feeling that it was far from the truth. But he decided to keep quiet about his opinions on the matter. After all, the young man was in a precarious situation. He was face to face with one of the Huntsmen he raided a few months ago.

He ruthlessly took the life of Pewter--Wisteria's partner and team leader. If that secret came out and his identity got revealed, then all bets were off. He'd probably have to fight way out of the school and evade the authorities--at least until he returned to his bandit tribe. Attending school to learn how to kill Huntsmen would be a pipe dream.

The thought crossed his mind to end Wisteria's life as well. One slash of his swords would take the distracted Huntress down, no problem. The only snag in his plan was his partner, Rowan--with her around; he couldn't act how he wished.

There'd be no explaining a sensible reason for killing a Huntress in cold blood in front of her. However, another dangerous scenario crossed his mind as he rested his arm on his sword. What if he killed them both? The forest was a dangerous place, after all. Anyone could lose their lives if they weren't careful.

His thoughts vanished when he received a sharp elbow to his side, courtesy of Rowan.

"Can't you show a hint of gratitude?" The orange-haired girl harshly whispered. "That woman saved your life."

"She saved your life. I was doing fine on my own," Schwartz arrogantly corrected, wanting to make sure the girl got it straight. He wasn't the one that nearly got devoured by a Grimm. He wouldn't thank the woman for something she didn't do.

Besides, he didn't want to run the risk of Wisteria recognizing him. If that happened, it was all over. That couldn't happen — not this far into his training.

"That's not the point," Rowan sighed.

"Stay focused," Wisteria demanded. Schwartz and Rowan straightened their postures and nodded their heads in response, not wishing to incur the woman's wrath for different reasons. "We're getting close to the extraction point. Keep pushing forward."

Schwartz and Rowan followed the woman's orders without complaint. The three maneuvered through the forest in silence, or so Rowan wished. The chimes of Schwartz's pesky bells tested her patience for far too long. Everywhere he went, the bells announced his presence.

What was the point of them? To annoy everyone within earshot? If so, it worked.

"Can you quit it already with those bells?" Rowan demanded.

"What's your problem?" Schwartz asked before he checked to make sure his bells were on his person.

"How do you expect us to sneak our way through the forest without alerting any Grimm if those bells keep chiming? You might as well be a dinner bell to them!" Rowan pointed out.

"The girl has a point. Wearing those bells could prove to be troublesome in the future. Take them off," Wisteria looked over his shoulder as she gave the order,

"No," Schwartz refused.

"What was that?" Wisteria completely turned around to face the insubordinate student.

"Hard of hearing?" Schwartz playfully flicked his bells. "I said no. The bells stay."

"Schwartz--"

"You do understand that I'm sticking my neck out to keep you two, right?" Wisteria approached the defiant Schwartz and reached to remove the bells from his person. To her immediate surprise, the student swatted her hand away and glared at her with intense ferocity.

"Don't touch me," Schwartz demanded. He didn't care about the woman's status above him. If she tried to touch his bells again, he wouldn't restrain his desire any longer.

Wisteria stared directly into the young man's eyes. She couldn't quite describe everything that she saw, but she understood the reason behind his aggressive outburst. It was clear to her that the bells were more than a fashion statement. However, they still posed a threat.

"Understood, but don't blame me if they attract more Grimm our way," Wisteria warned and continued along the path.

"You won't hear any complaints from me," Schwartz assured her and followed after the woman with Rowan beside him.

The rest of the walk to the extraction point was mainly silent, albeit awkward. Upon reaching the designated area, Rowan rushed ahead to the safety of the bullhead along with the other students. Schwartz shared no enthusiasm for boarding the ship.

"About time you two showed up," The Instructor, Lilith Hale, called out to him as she approached.

"Lilith. It's been a while," Wisteria smiled at the sight of a familiar companion.

"What are you doing out here, Wisteria?" Lilith inquired. "I thought you and your team were out escorting caravans the last time I saw you."

"That was the case until recently..." Wisteria rubbed the back of her neck, unsure of how to break the news of her team's unfortunate circumstances.

"No need to talk about it in front of the children," Lilith diverted her attention to Schwartz. "Go along on the ship. I'll take us out of here."

"Yeah, yeah," Schwartz sighed and boarded the ship without further complaint.

"Do you want to come along, or do you want to stay out here in the forest?" Lilith asked.

"A ride back to Haven would be nice. I need to speak with Leonardo anyway," Wisteria shrugged her shoulders and boarded the ship as well.

Once she was out of earshot, Lilith silently swore, "Damn it."

The Huntress took a moment to collect her thoughts. Things had taken a different course than she intended, but there was nothing else she could do. She swallowed her anger and boarded the ship, taking the controls and directing it back to Haven Academy.

"Oh, you guys made it back," Sunil Ambrus stood up and approached Rowan and Schwartz once they made it onto the ship. "We were worried you guys got hurt or worse out there."

"We got lost thanks to this idiot's desire to kill everything that moves," Rowan indicated to her partner with a point of her thumb.

"You seriously went out there to kill more Grimm than us?" Sunil stared at Schwartz bewilderment. Schwartz's aggressive streak was no secret to anyone among the first-year students, but he never imagined it would reach to such disastrous extents.

Schwartz clicked his tongue and avoided making eye contact with anyone as he wandered over to an empty seat.

"You failed, didn't you?" The arrogant tone came from none other than team WEIS' leader, the White Tiger Faunus, Wei Tian. The young man sat in a pose of meditation, not even bothering to open his eyes as Schwartz walked past him.

"I'll get you next time. Count on that," Schwartz warned before he took his seat and shut his eyes to mull over the sudden turn of events. He didn't have time to worry about petty rivalries at the moment, not that his loss to Wei didn't bother him. But there were more concerning matters.

The return of Max Wisteria weighed heavily on his mind. After his raid against the woman's team months ago, it never crossed his mind that he'd come across her again. As far as he was concerned, the Huntress had no idea about his identity. But how long would that last?

What would Schwartz if she outed his identity to everyone?

The young man gritted his teeth and contemplated the various scenarios in his head. No matter what he thought of, it all reached the same conclusion. The only way to save his ass would be ending the woman's life.

* * *

"So, what brings you back to Haven?" Lilith questioned Wisteria once they returned to Haven Academy and dropped off the students at the courtyard.

Wisteria hesitated to answer. It wasn't something she'd ever expect to say aloud, not after recently graduating Haven Academy. But the truth would come out sooner or later.

"Bandits raided my team and me on our recent mission," She started, nearly choking up as the memories flooded her mind again. She fought through the pain and continued, "Pewter stayed behind to fend them off so that we could escape, but he never returned to us. We went back to find him, but..."

"He was dead." Lilith finished, having comprehended the young woman's state of mind by her reactions alone.

"God damn bandits!" Wisteria drove her fist into the metal wall of the ship. "They've no idea the pain they've caused! With Pewter dead, the others lost their will to continue being Huntsmen! I'm the only one left! They don't care about avenging our leader's death!"

"Revenge won't bring him back, Wisteria," Lilith stated.

"I know that! I want those bandits wiped off the face of Remnant!" Wisteria continued to vent her frustrations angrily. "I'm going to talk to Leonardo about gathering a task force of Huntsmen to exterminate them! He can convince the council to approve this motion!"

Lilith went through the plan of the infuriated Huntress in her head. It sounded like a good plan on paper. However, it was a waste of time in resources that could go to the defense of the kingdom. Bandits weren't the only threat on the continent. Focusing too many forces on one target left them wide open for other unforeseen attacks.

"Leonardo won't agree to that request, Wisteria," Lilith laid out the bad news. She didn't feel right about it, but someone had to play the bad guy and break the unfortunate news to the enraged Huntress. "Bandits aren't the only enemies for Haven, let alone the continent. Besides, do you know which bandits attacked your team? Or even where they are?"

Wisteria took a few deep breaths and rubbed her temples. When a hint of rationality returned to her, the woman answered, "I don't care what bandit group attacked us. I want to take them all down with my bare hands. That's why if we gather an elite unit of Huntsmen to hunt them all down, we can eradicate them."

"Wisteria..."

"We disguise ourselves as ordinary citizens and bring a caravan full of useless items to draw them out. Once we capture them, we interrogate them to learn the locations of their camps..."

Wisteria continued to lay out the fine details of her plan to eradicate the bandits. She sounded so sure of herself. Lilith stared into the cold, dead eyes of her former student. The once bright and joyful girl she trained all those years ago was long gone. She was no longer a Huntress, but a woman out on the warpath, hellbent on avenging the death of her teammate. Lilith understood that desire all too well.

"Well, if you're that passionate about this, I won't stop you," Lilith heaved a heavy sigh, knowing that the woman's wish was a pipedream. The council saw bandits as a mere inconvenience when compared to the Grimm or White Fang. Perhaps if Lionheart refused Wisteria's request, then the woman would give up on her quest for vengeance.

"Thank you, Lilith. I'd like to have someone like you join us on the mission once it's approved," Wisteria wearily smiled.

"Sorry, I don't accept missions anymore. I watch over the children here," Lilith politely refused.

"I understand. Training the next generation of Huntsmen is an important job. I'll become a teacher as well once my last mission is over," Wisteria assured her former instructor. "I know there's one bandit in particular that I'm searching for."

"Yeah?"

"Yes, he had twin swords and..." Wisteria's eyes widen once the memory hit her. Multiple chimes of bells filled her mind, summoning another wave of rage within her. "bells..."

Almost immediately, the image of Schwartz flashed before her eyes. It couldn't be possible, could it? Was the bandit that attacked her caravan and killed her partner attending Haven Academy? If so, for what? What did he want with the school?

"Wisteria?" Lilith cautiously called out to the Huntress. "Talk to me. Where's your head at right now?"

"That one student I brought back to the ship, the one with the swords, how long has he been here?" Wisteria suddenly questioned.

"About two months or so, why?" Lilith responded, but then realized the reason for the sudden question. "Don't be ridiculous, Wisteria! You think one of my students is a bandit?"

"He has twin swords and bells. Does anyone else in the school fit that description?!"

"Perhaps! There are hundreds of students in attendance!" Lilith countered. "You're paranoid! Do you think a bandit would have the resources to sneak into Haven Academy and attend classes like a normal student without being able to raise any flags with the staff?"

Wisteria didn't have an immediate answer for Lilith's question. It did sound ridiculous, after all. How would a simple bandit manage to do all of that?

"...Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry," Wisteria brought her hand to her face and settled down. What was she thinking? Instantly suspecting a mere student of such a heinous crime without proof? Was her desire for revenge so strong that she'd attack an innocent student? "I...I need some rest. I'll make my request to Lionheart tomorrow."

With that, Wisteria disembarked from the ship and wandered onto the campus. The more she walked, the more she considered the possibility of Schwartz's involvement with the raid on her team. She couldn't let the thought go. No matter what, she'd conduct a full investigation on Schwartz.

And if it turned out that he's the bandit in question, then she steeled herself to put a bullet through the bastard's head.


	21. Unveiled Truth!

A pair of twin blades swiped through the air, slicing down the weak, unfortunate opponents in their path. Two bodies flew out of the bounds of the ring, hitting the ground hard as their aura broke. The owner of the blades, [Bark and Bite], belonged to none other than the charismatic and possibly psychotic leader of Team SWRZ, Schwartz der Hund. The young man raised his weapons into the light, inspecting them for any blood.

No blood in sight.

The young man sighed in relief and sheathed his weapons before smirking at his fellow teammates in the stands. His partner, Watchet Amin, applauded the team leader's efforts and victory in the mock battle. Initially, the fight's point was to exercise the team's growth throughout the past few weeks. But Schwartz insisted on defeating an entire team on his own.

Sure, it was another way to boast about his superior skills amongst the rest of the class. But it was also to show up his rival, the leader of Team WEIS, Wei Tian. Word had reached him that the White Tiger Faunus defeated a team of students independently.

"That marks the end of this combat exercise," The class instructor, Lilith Hale, spoke all too calmly as she messed with the scroll in her hands. She never bothered to move her eyes away from the screen, as she knew the outcome of the sparring match before it even began. Schwartz showed promise when it came to battle, but his team-leading skills needed some work. "Class is dismissed."

Most of the students showed much eagerness to leave class, especially Rowan Cassidy. She collected her bag and left the room as fast as she could, only that time, her partner, Zorina Teufel, followed.

Meanwhile, Watchet stepped down from the bleachers and approached his partner with a small smile.

"Congratulations on your victory, Schwartz," Watchet said.

"Ah, it was nothing special," Schwartz stepped over the beaten bodies of the students from the team...well, he didn't bother to remember their names.

"Well, at least your humble," Watchet commented, although others wouldn't see it as humbleness as much as it was arrogance. "Defeating an entire team singlehandedly isn't something most students can do."

"I'm sure you could do it too if you trained a bit harder," Schwartz noted.

"I will be sure to do that. Also, Schwartz, there's something I should inform you about..." Watchet brought his face incredibly close to Schwartz's ear. Thankfully, the first-year student was more than used to Watchet's habit of invading others' personal space. But it didn't make it any less creepy. "That woman at the top-left corner of the room. She's been watching you for quite some time now."

Schwartz's eyes focused on the woman in question, a licensed Huntress and former Team PWTR member, Max Wisteria. A few days passed since he'd encountered the woman in the middle of the forest. Ever since that dreadful day, Wisteria had come to all of his classes under the guise of "supervising." Schwartz knew all too well that the Huntress was observing him.

It was a blatant show that she'd figured out his identity. She'd thrown the concept of subtly out the window. That didn't bother him as much. What frustrated him was that she hadn't made any moves to contact him or anything like that secretly.

What was it that she was waiting for?

"You think she's in love with me?" Schwartz dismissed it as a joke. He didn't want anyone else to get involved in his business. The more people that interfered, the more people he would have to kill to keep his secret. While Watchet annoyed him from time to time, he'd much rather avoid ending his life if he could.

"The possibility never crossed my mind. However..." Watchet couldn't put his finger on it. He was aware that the Huntress saved his teammates back in the forest, but he couldn't comprehend the meaning behind the woman's strange behavior.

"Don't worry about it, Watchet. Let's get moving." Schwartz commanded.

Watchet offered no further complaints and followed his team leader, deciding to keep an eye on the situation for the time being. As they approached the exit, Wisteria stepped out and blocked their path. A soft, if not a forced smile, spread on the woman's face as she said, "Nice moves out there."

"Thanks," Schwartz responded.

"Where did you learn to fight like that? Your fighting style seems rather unorthodox." Wisteria noted.

"The wilder my moves are, the harder it is for my enemies to read them," Schwartz stated, purposely evading the question. He remembered from the fake transcripts provided to him by Bruna that he "trained" at Sanctum Academy. But he couldn't give that out as an answer in case of follow up questions.

Wisteria immediately noticed how the student dodged her question. She could practically feel the arrogance behind Schwartz's words. The Huntress suppressed her rage and decided to leave the topic alone for now.

"Well, congratulations on your win. You have a promising future ahead of you." Wisteria smiled and outstretched her arm for a handshake.

Schwartz forced a smile and reached for her hand, only to have it swatted away by Lilith, who practically appeared out of nowhere to shake the fellow Huntresses' hand instead.

"Thanks again for supervising the class again, Max. But my students should be going," Lilith suggested. Taking the hint, Schwartz and Watchet left the room.

"What are you doing, Lilith?" Wisteria glared at the woman for the sudden interference.

"I'm the one that should be asking you that. What were you thinking trying to use your Semblance on one of my students?" Lilith sharply interrogated the Huntress. Of course, she knew the answer. But she wanted to hear it straight from the woman's mouth before acting accordingly.

"I...I..." Wisteria hesitated to answer. That hesitation infuriated the instructor. That fact was evident once Lilith pinned the woman against the nearest wall.

"Listen very carefully, Max. Because I'm only going to say this once," Lilith raised her index finger to Wisteria's face. "Stay away from my students. If you think they're involved with that bandit raid, then issue that concern to Lionheart as you suggested before. He'll handle the investigation from there. If I catch you trying to mark my student again, I will personally see to it that you're punished severely. Nod if you understand."

Wisteria's eyes dilated, her breathing grew heavy as she stared into the eyes of Lilith. It was a glimpse of rage that she'd never seen in the woman's eyes ever before in her entire life. To minimize the risk of angering the woman any further, Wisteria quickly nodded her head, hoping that would appease and quell the woman's rage.

"I-I-I understand," Wisteria faintly responded.

"Good," Lilith released Wisteria. "Now fuck off,"

Wisteria gritted her teeth and stormed out of the room, unaware that Watchet had stayed behind and overheard the entire conversation.

_"Interesting..." Watchet smirked and followed after the Huntress, believing that he'd come across a goldmine of information. He steadily kept his eyes on the Huntress throughout the entire day. His suspicions were correct. The woman had her eyes solely on Schwartz, as she continued to supervise every class he attended. _

When nightfall came, Watchet excused himself from the team and went out on a nightly stroll. During his stroll, he "coincidentally" crossed paths with Wisteria out in the courtyard. 

"Excuse me, Ms. Wisteria?" Watchet called out to the woman.

Wisteria turned to face the young student and responded, "Yes? Who are you?"

"Forgive me for not introducing myself before," Watchet placed his hand on his chest and politely bowed to the Huntress in a smooth, well-practiced motion. "My name is Watchet Amin. I'm a member of Team SWRZ."

Wisteria's eyes narrowed at the mere mention of the team name. It was bad enough that Schwartz raided her caravan and killed her partner, but the bastard dared to sneak into Haven Academy and become a leader of a team himself. She couldn't bring herself to laugh at such horrendous irony. If she didn't do something quickly, she believed the entire squad would become criminals in the future.

"Is there something you need from me?" Wisteria inquired.

"A few questions of mine answered," Watchet spoke all too calmly as he approached the Huntress. "It's not everyday alumni Huntresses come to Haven to supervise classes. I understand now and then, but the past couple of days has left me quite suspicious."

"What are you getting at?"

"Why are you here, ma'am?"

"W-Why am I here?"

"Yes," Watchet nodded. "Your eyes have been affixed to my team leader for quite some time. I would like to know the reason behind that."

Wisteria gritted her teeth, trying to develop a proper excuse to fool the student before her. She couldn't know what went through Watchet's mind. Was he in league with Schwartz? It was possible since they were on the same team. Or, was it merely a curious student? There was no way to tell for sure.

"Are you aware of the Vytal Festival?" Wisteria began.

"Yes, I am aware of it," Watchet responded, wondering where the woman was going with all of this.

"It's customary for alumni to scout talent for the Vytal Festival. Your team caught my eye,"

"Interesting," Watchet lowered his gaze to the floor, allowing his shades to fall from his face. Wisteria reached out and caught them and looked up, only to make direct eye contact with the young man. His eyes flashed multiple colors as he activated his Semblance. In response, Wisteria's eyes flashed the same colors as his. "Now, then, how about you tell me the truth behind your objectives here?"


	22. Wolf In Sheep's Clothing!

Watchet Amin sat alone on one of the benches out in the quad. Everything was silent, as he preferred it when meditating on salient matters such as the information he obtained from his latest hypnotized victim, Max Wisteria. Thanks to his Semblance, [Snake Eyes], he discovered a dreadful secret about his team's leader, Schwartz der Hund. His partner was a no-good bandit and killer.

How was it even possible? How could a low-life bandit kill a fully trained Huntsman and infiltrate Haven Academy completely undetected up until this point? If one rat managed to slip through the cracks, there was no telling how many others got through. The mere thought of a bandit leading a team of future Huntsmen and Huntresses churned his stomach.

It was disgraceful.

The entire team would be a mockery of Watchet’s idea of a perfect, world-renowned Huntsmen team. Schwartz der Hund put a hamper on that very dream of his. Watchet clenched his teeth and resolved himself to cleanse the school of the filth, known as Schwartz, one way or another. He could rat him out and have the proper authorities deal with him, or he could personally see-through with the death of the ruffian.

It brought him little pain to get rid of his former team leader and partner. Rowan and Zorina would perhaps feel some level of sadness, or not. But Schwartz had to go.

“Okay…” Watchet gathered himself mentally and headed back to his dorm room. Rowan and Zorina were already fast asleep while Schwartz tended to his weapons, [Bark and Bite].

He looked up from his twin swords and nodded at Watchet once he entered the room. “Yo, Watchet. Where’ve you been? It’s not like you to be late,”

“Forgive me for my tardiness. I was out meditating in the quad,” Watchet revealed, restraining his anger by keeping up his polite facade.

“Ah, I see,” Schwartz nonchalantly responded, honestly not caring for the reason behind Watchet’s tardiness. He didn’t quite mind his partner’s absence—seeing it as some quality free time. It was one less person to bother him.

“Schwartz, would you mind heading out into the forest with me tonight?” Watchet inquired.

Schwartz stopped tending to his weapons and looked at his partner again. “Why? What for?”

The request felt odd to him. Watchet’s made suggestions for the team to hang out before, but never to the forest, especially not at night. It threw up several red flags, but it caught Schwartz’s attention, that’s for sure.

“Late night training,” Watchet lied through his teeth with a soft smile. “You mentioned earlier about how I could grow stronger if I trained some more. I need a suitable partner.”

“Sneaking out this late at night is against the rules, Watchet,” Schwartz reminded him, basically as a callback to all the other times Watchet reprimanded him on the many rules of the academy. Something about Watchet’s request didn’t sit right with him.

“I’m sure you won’t mind breaking another rule or two,” Watchet teased, following up with a quick wink before he headed for the exit. “You may come with me if you’d like. I’m going,”

“Sure, I’ll come along,” Schwartz collected his weapons and followed after his partner. It took them a few hours on foot, but they eventually reached a wide-open space within the forest. Schwartz stopped and examined the area while Watchet proceeded to the center.

"Schwartz, something's been on my mind for quite some time," Watchet began as he slowly turned around and faced his partner with a stern expression.

"Does it have something to do with you calling me out here this late at night?" Schwartz wondered.

“I don’t know much about you. We’ve been partners for over three months, and yet I still sense some hesitance from you.”

“Seriously, Watchet? Did you bring me out here for this shit? C’mon, man. We could’ve had this conversation elsewhere.” Schwartz complained.

Watchet dismissed the complaint and continued, “I always wondered what it was that pushed you away from us. As a team, we are quite exceptional. But, your lack of leadership and uncooperative nature hinders our progression. I fear it is because we still do not know much about one another.”

“Uh, yeah, sure, I guess,” Schwartz nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders, unsure of where the conversation was leading. A strange chill hung in the air that had nothing to do with the weather.

Something about Watchet's behavior seemed off. Watchet had eccentric tendencies, but something about his attitude this time around sent a chill down his spine. Schwartz unconsciously rested his arm on the hilt of his sword.

“I wish to discuss our past with each other. I’m certain you would feel hesitant to do so with the others around. So, I would like to start with us for now.” Watchet suggested as he took a step forward with his hand on his chest.

Schwartz unconsciously took a step back. His partner's suggestion rose red flags. For Watchet to act so suspiciously forward, especially out in the wilderness with no one else around--something was up.

“I don’t know about that…” Schwartz tried to come up with an excuse to refuse Watchet’s offer. It was a bad idea. No doubt, it would bring nothing but trouble if he followed through with the dangerous request.

“Is there something about your past that you’re trying to hide?” Watchet asked, but it felt more like a callout from Schwartz’s perspective. “That’s understandable. Everyone has a few secrets they’d like kept. So as long as they don’t danger the lives of others and the prestige of Haven Academy.”

“What are you trying to do here, Watchet?” demanded Schwartz, having grown tired of this game of fishing. Watchet knew something that he shouldn’t have discovered in the first place. If Schwartz’s theory were correct, then he’d have no other choice but to silence his partner with brute force. “Spit it out!”

“No, you’re the one that should spit it out,” Watchet ordered. He raised his arm and pointed the finger at his team leader. “Who are you, Schwartz der Hund? A Huntsman? Or a criminal?”

“What are you talking ab—” Schwartz stopped once he caught a glimpse of a muzzle flashes off in the trees behind Watchet. A bullet raced through the air and struck the tree next to him. It would’ve pierced his skull if he hadn’t dodged. No doubt about it, that bullet was meant for him.

"What?!" Watchet exclaimed and looked over his shoulder in search of the perpetrator. The person soon revealed themselves as Max Wisteria once the woman dropped down from the tree.

"Good reflexes," Wisteria sarcastically commented as she reloaded her sniper rifle.

"What are you doing here?!" Watchet exclaimed, clearly surprised by the sudden arrival of the Huntress. After he hypnotized the woman, he ordered her to leave the area and forget their conversation. So, how come she showed up in the forest?

"Investigating," Wisteria rested her sniper rifle on her shoulder. "I spotted two students sneaking out after hours into the forest. I got curious and followed you. It looks like it was a good idea since I now have all the evidence I need to out you as the bandit that raided my caravan months ago!"

Schwartz gritted his teeth and glared at the two opponents before him. One was a professional Huntress while the other was his partner and fellow Huntsmen in training. Both knew of his identity as a bandit, and therefore, he couldn't let them live. It would be a fierce battle, but he was confident that he could kill them.

“What the fuck is this, Watchet?!” Schwartz seethed with intense rage as he unsheathed his swords.

Watchet noted Schwartz’s anger. It was warranted, after all. His plan was now in shambles thanks to the trigger finger of a reckless Huntress. He heaved a sigh and removed his shades from his face. “I didn’t want things to go this way, Schwartz. But it appears this is the road we must go down now. Wisteria here believes that you are one of the bandits that attacked her caravan and killed her partner.”

So, the truth finally came out. The bitch couldn’t get to Schwartz through any ordinary means, so she used his partner in her plot for revenge. Ironic, but infuriating. Things weren’t supposed to go this way, but there was no way to change the situation in his favor. He could try to lie, but he doubted it would get him very far. Watchet was very insightful.

Any lie would possibly get caught immediately.

“Does she have any proof of that?” Schwartz wondered, deciding to play a few mind games to get inside the heads of his opponents. A two-on-one fight wasn’t something he looked forward to—especially with his enemies being a former team member and professional Huntress.

“She explained in great detail of the attack. The bandit used twin swords, moved across the battlefield as if he were gliding, and wore bells on his person. All three of those qualities fit you.” Watchet sternly pointed out. It pained him to pressure his former team leader in a corner like this, but there was nothing he could do.

“How do you know she’s not trying to frame me?” Schwartz continued to try and nonexistent holes in the young man’s statements. If he could make Watchet doubt himself for a moment, perhaps that could shift the tide in his favor.

“I used my Semblance on her,” Watchet immediately answered, shocking both Schwartz and Wisteria.

“Oh? And what’s that?”

All the months spent together, and Schwartz never learned Watchet’s Semblance. Not that he bothered to ask since the young man never used it in the first place. He figured it was worthless in combat.

“I can hypnotize anyone by making direct eye contact. I ordered for her to reveal her objective here and discovered your identity through those means,”

“Pretty nifty Semblance.” Schwartz joked. With that information in his head, he slightly averted his gaze from Watchet; instead, he went to look at his feet.

"You may relax, Schwartz. I have no intention of using my Semblance on you unless I deem it necessary," Watchet assured him, but Schwartz wouldn’t believe him that easily—not in the situation they were in.

"So, what’s the grand scheme here? Kill me out here and dump my body somewhere?" Schwartz presumed.

"No, I plan to defeat you and have you taken in by the proper authorities," Watchet refuted Schwartz's presumption. "I couldn't run the risk of dragging others into this back at the school. So, I brought you out here."

"Taking you in alive isn't part of my plan!" Wisteria interjected. “You die here and now!” She aimed her sniper rifle at Schwartz and pulled the trigger, firing off a shot that Schwartz blocked with a swipe of his sword.

"Let’s go then!" Schwartz licked his lips, allowing the adrenaline of battle to flow through him. He leaped into action and dashed across the field at high speed with his blades at the ready. Wisteria transformed her sniper rifle into its secondary form, a battle-ax, and defended herself from the attack.

Schwartz careened past the Huntress and swiped his second sword at Watchet. The young man leaned back and narrowly evaded getting his head detached from his body, but he was left wide-open from the following leg sweep. He was knocked off his feet and blasted further across the field with a sidekick, curtesy of Schwartz.

While Watchet recovered from the blow, Wisteria reverted her ax to its sniper rifle form and fired another shot. Schwartz deflected the bullet and rushed the woman with a cruel smile. He had to stay on the offensive, no matter what. He had to keep his opponents separated and deal with them individually if he could.

Schwartz jumped up and aimed to drop the Huntress's kick in the face but struck the woman’s sniper rifle instead. He launched himself from the weapon and flipped through the area, transforming his swords into their SMG form. The young man pulled the trigger and unloaded a barrage of bullets. Wisteria ran off and took cover behind one of the trees.

Once Schwartz’s feet hit the ground, he turned on his heels and blocked a sneak attack from Watchet, who had now entered himself into the fray of battle. The two former partners locked eyes, neither one of them showing an ounce of regret for what led them to their fight. They were opposites, the thought of them functioning as a team was nothing but a pipe dream.

"Stand down," Watchet demanded, not wishing to prolong the battle any longer. He leaned forward to add more weight to his sword.

Schwartz chuckled then mockingly responded, "No can do, buddy,"

A black-light surrounded Schwartz’s body as he activated his Semblance--[Unleashed]. He slid back to relieve himself from the deadlock and fired another volley of bullets toward Watchet. The Haven student deflected each strike with his blade.

“He’s mine, student!” Wisteria announced as she forced herself back into the fight. With her battle-ax, she swung at Schwartz.

The weapons of Schwartz and Wisteria clash a few times, none of them gaining the upper hand. That was the case until Wisteria slammed the head of her ax into the ground, but she followed through with the momentum and flipped, striking Schwartz in the face with her boot. Once she removed the weapon from the ground, she spun around and aimed for the stunned fighter’s head.

Schwartz recovered quickly and blocked the incoming attack with one of his swords, meanwhile using the other to swipe at her head as a form of retribution. Wisteria avoided the blade by performing a backflip, only to fire off a shot with her sniper rifle once she turned upright in the air. Schwartz turned at the last second and responded in kind with a shot of his own.

Wisteria deflected the bullet and moved in with her battle-ax. She attempted to land a blow against Schwartz’s face, but he activated his Semblance and glided out of the way with ease, taunting the woman with a loud chuckle as he circled her. The moment she turned, the side of Schwartz’s foot met her face. She stumbled for a second and tried to recover, only to receive another kick to the face from the opponent.

She lost her footing and hit the ground, prompting Watchet to leap into action. He stretched the blade across the field and attacked Schwartz. The bandit raised his swords and deflected the blade aiming to take his life. He gritted his teeth and used his Semblance to gain some distance away from the sword.

"Are you alright?" Watchet retracted the blade to its original length and stood in front of the downed Huntress. He couldn’t help but feel a sliver of respect toward his former partner. Despite the numbers not being in his favor, he continued to prove a stubborn and headstrong opponent. He put up an incredible fight against him and a professional Huntress.

"He’s tougher than I remember," Wisteria muttered as she stood to her feet.

"Schwartz has always been a capable fighter," Watchet noted.

"That ends today," Wisteria transformed her battle ax back into a sniper rifle. "I’m going to put a bullet right between his eyes."

Schwartz clicked his tongue in annoyance, knowing that the two realized the severity of their situation. Alone, he’d probably kill them both. But should they fight together, then their chances of victory increased. That was the one thing Schwartz hated about the teachings of the Huntsmen Academies.

Teamwork.

He didn’t mind that concept when the odds were in his favor. But that wasn’t the case anymore. Now, the situation seemed unfair. He racked his brain, trying to come up with a plan to divide them. Convincing Wisteria was out of the question, but Watchet was a different matter.

"Is this how you envisioned Huntsmen to be, Watchet?" Schwartz suddenly called out to his former partner.

"What are you talking about?" Watchet asked.

"You called me out here to question me about my past, right? Wanting to confirm whether or not you should turn me into the Mistral police?" Schwartz continued, deciding to his brains for once like Watchet instructed several times in the past. "Now you know I used to be a bandit, but your new friend there doesn’t seem interested in turning me in. It seems like to me that she’s more interested in killing me."

"Why wouldn’t I?! You killed my partner!" Wisteria yelled.

"Allow me to tell my side of the story," Schwartz surprisingly pleaded as he sheathed his swords. "Watchet, you only learned half the story from that woman. There's more to this woman than you realize."

"What nonsense are you sprouting now?!" 

"I'll surrender myself to the police, as long as you listen to my story. I'm the good guy here, Watchet. You only need to listen to me, partner," Schwartz smiled at his partner, hoping that his plan would work. If he could create some dissertation between Watchet and Wisteria's impromptu team, then victory was his for the taking.

Watchet closed his eyes and weighed his options. The offer sounded enticing enough for him to hesitate. If hearing Schwartz's story would end the fighting, then perhaps listening to him wouldn't be so bad. Wisteria noticed Watchet's hesitation and took matters into her own hands. She didn't need the student's help anyway in taking down the bandit.

She'd do things her way.

Wisteria raised her rifle and fired another shot. Schwartz activated his semblance and slid out of the way before charging the Huntress.

Right before he could reach her, something struck his arm from behind, causing Schwartz to lose his balance and sprawl across the ground. He came to a stop a few inches in front of Wisteria, having the barrel of her gun staring him square in the face.

"Die," Wisteria ordered as she pulled the trigger.

"No!" Watchet moved the gun out of the way, redirecting the bullet elsewhere.

"What are you doing?!" Wisteria shouted. Her rage had reached its peak. She was mere seconds away from obtaining her revenge for her deceased partner, and yet some no name of a student interfered at the last second.

"Stopping you from making a career-ending mistake! We shouldn't kill him until we hear the whole story!" Watchet yelled.

"He's lying to you, brat! Get out of my way!" Wisteria demanded. Watchet grabbed the woman's gun, stopping her from killing the downed opponent at all costs. He wouldn't let things go off the rails any further. It was a mistake bringing them out there in the wilderness. He needed to rectify it in any way possible.

"I refuse!"

"Worthless!" Wisteria drove her knee into Watchet's stomach and watched as the student dropped down to his knees. She followed up with a strike to the side of his head with the butt of her gun. The attack connected, and the poor student hit the ground. With that distraction out of the way, the Huntress aimed her weapon at Schwartz. "Now, you die!"

Schwartz smirked and kicked off the ground, propelling himself toward the Huntress. His blades struck the woman's rifle, but that didn't stop him from continuing with his onslaught. With Watchet out of the equation, a one-on-one fight against Wisteria didn't seem like a problem to him. 

"I won't let you hurt my partner! You'll pay for what you've done!" Schwartz loudly declared, hoping that Watchet heard him. He had to play the role of a false hero. If it helped turn the tides of battle, he'd do anything.

"I've done nothing wrong, you monster!" Wisteria kicked Schwartz away from her and fired another bullet. Schwartz deflected the shot and rushed the woman, unaware of the Huntresses Semblance--[Devil's Choice]. From Schwartz's blindspot, the bullet he deflected glowed a purple light as it changed its trajectory and headed straight for him again. 

Right before he clashed with Wisteria again, the bullet struck him in the shoulder, making him lose his balance once again. Schwartz stumbled straight into a right hook from Wisteria, knocking him to the ground. He quickly recovered but found himself caught in a brutal beatdown from Wisteria's battle-ax. He flew across the field and crashed over to Watchet.

Schwartz gritted his teeth and looked to his downed partner, "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"You're in a poor position to ask that question," Watchet groaned, having slightly recovered from the previous blows to his body.

"I don't think that bitch plans on listening to my side of the story,"

"No, that doesn't seem to be the case,"

"Wanna team up and take her down?"

"No, we should run. I don't want to fight her." Watchet shook his head and stood up. 

"She won't let us leave," Schwartz figured as he watched the Huntress reload her sniper rifle. 

"Doesn't mean we shouldn't try!" Watchet turned on his heels and took off into the forest with Schwartz following him.

"Get back here!" Wisteria shouted. A purple light enveloped her body as she randomly shot a bullet into the area. The projectile illuminated the very same light before it took off into the woods after Schwartz.

Watchet stayed on the ground while Schwartz raced across the rooftops, wanting to gain as much distance away from Wisteria as they could. The young men looked over their shoulders to check their surroundings, only to find a bullet chasing them down.

"Schwartz!" Watchet alerted.

"Shit! Why is it only me?!" Schwartz dropped down from the trees and took off on foot with Watchet, but the bullet altered its trajectory and continued to chase him without fail. No matter how high or low, which twists and turns he took, the shot kept up with him.

"You’ve got to be kidding me!" Schwartz complained once he was forced to use him Semblance again to gain a bit more speed. He didn’t know how long he could keep it up. The bullet wouldn’t stop until it hit its target—him.

Since he kept his focus on evading the bullet, he paid no attention to his surroundings. The moment Schwartz leaped from another tree, he launched himself out into another wide-open spot in the forest. With nothing to cover him, the bullet struck him in the arm again and knocked him to the ground. His aura flickered after receiving the damage.

"Schwartz!" Watchet made his way out from the clearing in the trees and examined the downed man's wound. No blood. He still had aura left.

"How'd that hit me? What did she do?!" Schwartz complained. He took pride in his speed and evasion skills. The fact that the woman shot him wounded that very pride of his.

"How did you like that, scum?" Wisteria’s taunting voice reached Schwartz’s ears once she stepped out through the clearing in the trees. Her sniper rifle rested on her shoulder as she continued, “Thanks to my Semblance, no matter where you run or try to hide, I’ll always find you. You’ve been marked.”

Schwartz’s gaze dropped to his arm, instantly noticing the bullseye mark that shined a bright purple light before dispersing along with the mark. He immediately remembered certain moments when the woman’s hand grazed him during their fight.

"So, that’s how it works. Man, that’s an annoying Semblance," Schwartz complained. Nonetheless, he showed no fear toward the Huntress. As far as he saw it, the woman was alone with him. Despite her Semblance, it meant nothing to him if she couldn’t touch him.

"Your very existence is annoying," Wisteria verbally countered. This was her moment, her chance to avenge the life of the man Schwartz killed. She wouldn’t let anything stand in her way. Not a student, not a teacher, not even the law. None of that mattered to her anymore. "You’re going to die here."

"You’ve no idea how many times I’ve heard that phrase before," Schwartz laughed and unsheathed his swords. Just when he prepared to continue with the fight, Watchet suddenly extended his arm out. 

"Lower your weapon and cease with the fighting!" Watchet demanded. Things had gone too far. It wasn't supposed to go this way. 

"I won't stop, stop. This bandit is manipulating you. If you continue to side with him, I'll be forced to shoot you down as well," Wisteria threatened him. 

"If you've resolved yourself to kill us both, then I take you down," Watchet declared, taking his stance along with his partner. The two shared a glance before rushing the Huntress together. One way or another, the battle would end that very night.


	23. Two on One!

"I thought us teaming up would've made this fight easier!" Schwartz der Hund complained as he took cover behind the safety of a nearby tree. He looked over to his left and spotted his partner, Watchet Amin, hiding behind a tree as well. Even as a team, their opponent, Max Wisteria, proved a formidable enemy. She was a professional Huntress, after all. Her experienced in combat outweighed them by some years. She seemed a much easier opponent a few months back.

"Her experience combined with her Semblance makes her an issue to deal with," Watchet noted, turning his attention to the bullseye symbols marked on his body. "The marks don't disappear until here bullets hit us."

"Yeah, I know," Schwartz rolled his eyes after hearing Watchet's analysis. He experienced firsthand the mechanisms of Wisteria's semblance. His gaze dropped to his body, where five marks resided on his body. Meanwhile, Watchet only had two. "She wants me dead."

"You killed her partner," Watchet pointed out.

"Yes, I did," Schwartz peered his face from behind the cover of the tree, spotting Wisteria reloading her sniper rifle. Once completed, she activated her Semblance and fired off seven rounds. Purple streaks of light followed behind the projectiles as they headed toward their intended targets--Schwartz and Watchet. "We gotta move!"

He alerted his partner.

The Huntsmen in training ran out from their cover and split up. Five bullets chased Schwartz down while the remaining two went after Watchet. Schwartz activated his Semblance, [Unleashed], and glided across the ground. While Watchet ran a bit further into the forest, taking sharp twists and turns around the trees to throw off the tracking projectiles. As predicted, the bullets stayed hot on their trails, not stopping until they hit their mark.

Schwartz tried leading the bullets into the trees, but they possessed fierce piercing capabilities, easily tearing through the wood in hot pursuit.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Schwartz complained as he continued to maneuver through the forest. The projectiles caught up and struck him from behind, knocking him out into the clearing. His black aura flickered around his body, having taken the brunt of the attacks. He knew deep down he couldn't take much more of those.

The familiar sound of a gun reloading caught his attention. Schwartz lifted his head and spotted Wisteria aiming her rifle at the student's face, smirking as she mercilessly pulled the trigger. Schwartz rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the bullet.

Afterward, he picked himself off the ground, unsheathed his swords, and rushed toward the woman. With the marks on his body gone, he wouldn't have to worry about the bullets tracking him again. He knocked away the rest of the incoming rounds and swiped his blades at the Huntress.

Wisteria transformed the rifle into its battle-ax form and clashed weapons with the enemy. She leaned forward and scowled. "Give up! You're not going to win this fight!"

"Says you!" Schwartz smirked.

"Laugh it up while you still can! You won't be laughing when I put a bullet in your head!" Wisteria kicked Schwartz away from her and shifted her ax back into a rifle. She fired off several shots, only stopping to reload.

Schwartz raised his swords and quickly blocked the incoming attacks. He looked down and checked his torso. No mark. He was safe from the effects of Wisteria's Semblance.

Free from its effects, the young man showed no hesitance in using his Semblance again. He glided across the field and unleashed a flurry of attacks. Wisteria kept her guard up, efficiently defending herself thanks to her weapon. Or that was the case until Schwartz disarmed her with a swift kick. The woman's sniper rifle flew a few feet away from them.

With the Huntress unarmed, Schwartz showed no clemency. He smiled and ruthlessly swung his swords. Wisteria evaded the blades and retaliated with a palm strike to Schwartz's stomach. He skidded back and dropped to his knees, holding his arm against the wounded spot. As he removed his arm, he noticed the familiar bullseye mark.

"You've been marked again," Wisteria taunted, having retrieved her sniper rifle from the ground. She smiled and aimed. "After I kill you and your friend, I'll head back to Haven and finish off the rest of your team."

"Even though they're innocent?" Schwartz wondered.

"I thought your partner was innocent, but he hypnotized me, and now he's helping you fight me. There's no telling how corrupted your other teammates are,"

"If anyone's corrupted, it's you," Schwartz smirked.

"Maybe, but I'm this way because of you! You're a savage bandit that's getting what's coming to them!" Wisteria painfully exclaimed, pulling the trigger once again. The bullet raced across the air, heading straight for Schwartz's stomach.

Schwartz twisted his body and swung one of his swords. The bullet altered its trajectory and avoided the blade. It was mere inches away from hitting him until another blade snaked its way through and sliced the projectile in half.

All eyes followed the blade until it returned to its owner, Watchet. The young Huntsman stepped out into the clearing with an intense glare.

"How did you?!" Wisteria angrily exclaimed, having expected her tracking bullets to keep the student out of the fight.

"How naive," Watchet shook his head in a moment of the sheer disappointment of the Huntresses' abilities. "You were too focused on killing Schwartz that you neglected the bullets tracking me. I noticed severe changes in their patterns; the further I got away from you."

"Idiot," Wisteria scoffed. "Now that you're in front of me, it'll be easier for me to shoot you down."

"Try it," Watchet goaded the Huntress.

Wisteria fell for the provocation, having switched her sniper rifle to its battle-ax form. She lunged at the student and swung her ax several times. Watchet displayed proper form and skill with his swordsmanship to block and parry the incoming attacks. Whenever he spotted a hole in the woman's defense, he'd strike within seconds and proceed to gain distance.

Wisteria shook off the damage and charged forward. She pulled her arm back and hurled her weapon at Watchet. The student reacted by slashing it away, only to find himself on the receiving end of a fierce punch across his face, shattering his shades on impact. But it didn't end there.

The Huntress retrieved her ax from the ground and struck him several times, only stopping when Watchet regained his composure and evaded the last strike. He performed a few sword slashes but only made contact with Wisteria's battle-ax. The moment he pulled his arm back for another hit, Wisteria slammed the head of her ax into the ground. The destructive force of the attack knocked Watchet back to Schwartz.

"She's relentless," Watchet's breath turned ragged. The fight went longer than he expected. The Huntress was determined and out on a mission to kill them both. It wasn't an obligation or duty that drove her to fight. It was a pure, unadulterated desire for revenge.

"Watchet, you got something on your face," Schwartz tapped the side of his cheek once he saw the mark Wisteria left behind.

Watchet touched his cheek and sighed. "How many marks do you have on you?"

"One."

"I also have one,"

"How many times do you think she can mark someone?"

"I don't think there's a limit to how times she can do it rather than capacity limit."

"Capacity limit?"

"Remember earlier? You had five marks while I had two. The marks disappear once the bullet lands," Watchet informed. "It's almost like it refuels with each successful hit."

"So, how do you want to go about this?" Schwartz asked.

"We could allow ourselves to get marked to see the limits of her Semblance. But it's risky."

"Risky is what I live for," Schwartz smirked and readied himself for battle once again.

"Very well, let's do this," Watchet smiled.

The partners rushed ahead together with their weapons at the ready. Wisteria twirled her ax to build up momentum, only swinging once the students reached her attack range. Watchet jumped over the woman while Schwartz slid across the ground through the Wisteria's feet. Schwartz stuck his arm out and tripped the Huntress.

Wisteria stumbled forward, leaving herself wide-open for Watchet's onslaught of sword strikes. When the woman regained her balance, she swung the ax to hit the air as Watchet retreated and gained some distance. However, Schwartz straightened his posture and assaulted the Huntress in his partner's stead. She guarded against the first few sword strikes but stumbled upon receiving a sharp kick to the stomach.

Wisteria transformed her weapon back to its rifle form, firing off a quick round at Schwartz. The young man used his Semblance to slide away while the bullet chased him down.

Watchet jumped in and attacked Wisteria with his sword again, only hitting her rifle thanks to a quick block from her side. Wisteria spun and swung her ax once more. Watchet leaned back and watched the weapon cut through the air. He fled when the head of the ax came down toward him, hitting the earth with enough force to demolish ground.

Watchet launched himself behind Wisteria and knocked her across the field with a kick. The Huntress sprawled across the ground, coming to a halt once Schwartz slid by and nailed her with a follow-up kick.

Wisteria lodged her ax into the ground to regain her center of gravity. The students proved more troublesome than she anticipated. Their tenacity in combat reminded her of her team back in their rookie days.

Watchet gave the Huntress no time to recover. He leaped into action and performed a horizontal sword strike. Wisteria blocked and parried the attack, knocking the student away. With her attention on Watchet, Schwartz spared no expense to land a cheap shot across the woman's face with the butt of his sword. Wisteria stumbled from the hit and dropped down to her knees when she saw her bullet heading straight toward her.

Schwartz glided away to continue with his evasive maneuvers while Watchet proceeded to attack Wisteria. He spun in circles and allowed the blade of his sword to twirl around his body. He extended his arm out and watched the blade dart toward Wisteria. The Huntress turned her body, narrowly evading the blade.

The tip of the sword lodged itself into the tree behind her. Watchet smiled and allowed the sword to drag him through the air as he kicked Wisteria across the face. The Huntress recovered almost immediately, altering her weapon back to its rifle form. With the students back turned to her, she fired another shot.

"Don't think so!" Schwartz came by and sliced the bullet in half to protect his partner, but in doing so, he left himself defenseless against the tracking bullet that finally caught up to him. The projectile struck him in the stomach and knocked him to the ground. His aura flickered across his body before dissipating.

"Finally, I broke your aura!" Wisteria delightfully announced. She aimed her rifle again but found herself defending herself from another attack courtesy of Watchet.

"I won't let you kill him!" Watchet came to the rescue of his partner and engaged the Huntress in close quarters combat.

"Stay out of my way!" Wisteria demanded. Her rifle changed to ax form and relentlessly attacked the student.

Watchet went entirely on the defensive. Not only did he have to worry about the woman's weapon, but he also tried to avoid getting touched by her unless he wished to fall victim to her Semblance.

"I will not!" Watchet slid back and stood his ground in front of Schwartz.

"Then die! Both of you!" Wisteria slammed her ax into the ground, unleashing a more massive shockwave that knocked both students into the air. Both boys hit the ground hard. A blue light shimmered across Watchet's body before vanishing. "You both brought this on yourselves! I'm not the monster here! You are!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Schwartz groaned as he forced himself back on his feet. Blood trickled down his face.

Watchet struggled to his feet as well. "Defeat is not an option for us here,"

Wisteria scowled at the sight of the monsters in front of her. Their aura was broken; they were roughed up and bleeding, yet they still stood before her. Their eyes burned with fierce determination. How could people like them show such ferocity?

Wisteria gritted her teeth and aimed her rifle. It was her chance to end everything. Two measly students, that's all she needed to kill. She wouldn't think twice about it.

"Die!" She yelled as she fired the fatal shot.

Schwartz and Watchet split apart and rushed the Huntress in unison. The first one to reach her was Schwartz. The wild man unleashed a flurry of sword strikes, but none of them hit their mark thanks to the woman's defensive capabilities. A punch to the face knocked him away, leaving Watchet to handle the Huntress. The two shared a brief dance of attacks, blocks, and parries until the time finally arrived.

Watchet smiled and maneuvered himself into Wisteria's blindspot. The moment she looked away to find the elusive student, the tracking bullet came by and struck her in the stomach. She dropped to the ground as a purple light shimmered across her body and vanished.

"And that's your aura," Watchet noted as he held his sword inches away from the downed Huntresses' neck.

"Good job, Watchet," Schwartz smiled, wiping away the sweat and blood from his face.

"Damn you! God damn you both!" Wisteria angrily swore. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. With her experience, she should've been the one standing above the students. How? How did things go so wrong?

"No need for the language. Now, let's talk," Watchet tried to calm the situation.

"There's nothing to talk about! Either you kill me, or I kill you!" Wisteria declared. In a last-ditch effort to turn the situation around, she tossed dirt and debris into Watchet's eyes. As the student exclaimed and stumbled back, the Huntress made a mad dash for her weapon.

The moment she reached for her weapons, she caught a glimpse of something. A glint of steel reached the corner of her eyes before it happened. In one smooth motion, two objects hit the ground. Wisteria stared in disbelief and horror at the sight of the familiar objects. Her hands laid next to her now, blood-drenched weapon.

Schwartz stood over the Huntress with a dreadful smile. He took immense pleasure from slicing off the woman's hands. When the pain finally reached her, Wisteria fell to the ground, screaming in agony.

"Schwartz!" Watchet cried out in obvious distaste of the tactic. He rushed over to the woman and tried to help stop the bleeding.

"What? She tried to kill us! I disarmed her!" Schwartz tried to justify his actions.

"Get away from me! Don't fucking touch me!" Wisteria hollered at Watchet. She got to her feet and staggered away from them. It was humiliating, but she couldn't defeat them in her current state. She planned to retreat and regroup. She'd return to finish off the students soon enough. "This isn't over! This is far from over!" With that fatal declaration, she took off into the forest.

"Should we give chase?" Schwartz wondered.

"No," Watchet heaved a sigh. "She won't last long out there in her condition. Besides, she would've bled out before we even made it back to Haven."

"Thanks for the assistance, partner," Schwartz sheathed his swords and smiled, offering his partner a handshake. He immediately came to regret that decision once Watchet held his sword inches away from his neck.

"Don't thank me yet. You still have some explaining to do, Schwartz," Watchet said.

Schwartz swallowed the lump that formed in his throat, knowing that he'd have to explain his situation to his partner. Hopefully, he'd choose the right words and convince Watchet that he was indeed on his side. If not, then another fight would take place in the forest.


End file.
